UAPA against Waris Punjab De members after Majithia alleges plans to assassinate Amit Shah, Ravneet Bittu

Chandigarh: Punjab Police registered a case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against members of Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De) on Monday. This action came just hours after Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) senior functionary Bikram Singh Majithia released details of a WhatsApp group linked to the party and claimed that its members were planning to carry out the execution of top politicians, including Union home minister Amit Shah.
Moga police took note of a leaked chat in the WhatsApp group named ‘Akali Dal Waris Punjab De Team District Moga'; and registered the FIR against several persons, including three who have been identified as Lovedeep Singh, Balkar Singh, and Pawandeep Singh. Faridkot range DIG Ashwani Kapur and Moga senior superintendent of police (SSP) Ajay Gandhi said two of them have been rounded up. They, however, refused to divulge details about the persons who have been rounded up or give more technical details, stating it could hamper the investigation.
The name of Waris Punjab De member Kulwant Singh Rauke's brother also figured in the leaked chat. Rauke was lodged in Dibrugarh jail at Assam under the National Security Act and was brought back to Punjab some days ago. The case has been registered under sections 61(2) (criminal conspiracy), 113(3) (abetting, attempting, conspiring, or facilitating the commission of a terrorist act), 152 (endangering the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India), 153 (waging war) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and sections 13 (unlawful activities) and 18 (attempts to commit or advocating terrorist acts) of UAPA, and under the IT Act.
Jailed Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh, who has been in police custody since April 2023, is the face of Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De).
In the details released by SAD, members of the WhatsApp group asserted that they were ready to become martyrs and had asked if their families would be looked after in case they indulged in political assassinations of leaders, including Union minister of state for railways Ravneet Bittu, Majithia, and Amit Shah. Majithia also released a purported audio clip of the group in which a woman is heard instigating members to become suicide bombers.
It has been stated that after reports of the govt extending Amritpal's detention had emerged, nearly 30 members in the chat group showcased their annoyance and even chatted about causing physical harm to political leaders from the central govt and in Punjab, apart from their opposing members.
Kapur and Gandhi said they took note of screenshots of the chat group circulating on social media, after which the district police cyber cell registered the FIR. Majithia said he opposed Amritpal on principles, especially when the latter used the Guru Granth Sahib as a shield to attack the Ajnala police station to free a supporter. The Akali leader added, "This is the reason why I am being targeted now." He, however, asserted that he would not keep quiet. "Nothing will stop me from speaking for the peace of Punjab and communal harmony," he said.
‘Amritpal has ties to gangsters'
SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia also released audio clips in which a man is heard admitting to ties with gangsters and carrying out dacoities. Majithia claimed that the man's voice was of the independent MP, who has been in jail since April 2023.
He demanded a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into the entire matter. The Akali leader announced that he would forward all evidence in his possession to the Centre, as the Punjab Police had become politicised and could not be trusted to probe Amritpal and his gang.
He also questioned why chief minister Bhagwant Mann was silent on such a crucial matter. Majithia asked, "Are Punjab Police, which have all evidence in its possession, and the chief minister waiting for some person to die?"
Majithia claimed that in the audio tapes, Amritpal talked about direct links with gangster Jaipal Bhullar and even detailed that he had a share in a multi-crore dacoity committed by Bhullar and also knew where the gold looted by Bhullar was stored. In another purported conversation, as per Majithia, Amritpal admits to knowing that his brother Harpreet is a drug addict, besides talking nonchalantly about how he could loot a cash car for money, admitting he had two flats in Delhi, and knew where Rs 22 crore looted by Bhullar had been kept.
Asserting that Amritpal was a "dhongi" (fraud) and not a "pracharak" (preacher), Majithia said Amritpal and his family had always supported the Congress and even voted against panthic candidate Bibi Paramjit Kaur Khalra in 2019. He said gangsters Arsh Dalla, Happy Passia, and Harwinder Rinda, besides others, were closely associated with Amritpal and the latter was using a phone in the Dibrugarh jail.
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