‘Sikh Referendum 2020’: Pannu and five others booked under UAPA

CHANDIGARH: Punjab Police on Friday busted a secessionist module of banned ‘unlawful association’ Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) with arrest of its three members after recovering a lakhs of secessionist pamphlets promoting ‘Referendum 2020’ activities, from their possession during a raid conducted in village Rampur in Khanna. SFJ was banned by the Indian Government in July 2019 under the UA(P) Act for their involvement in promoting secession as well as violent militancy in Punjab as well as Sikh Referendum 2020. Their activities were aimed at creating a divide between communities and disturbing the peace and communal harmony in the State of Punjab

Those arrested have been identified as Gurwinder Singh of Rampur in Khanna, Jagwinder Singh and Sukhdev Singh, both residents of Morinda in Ropar. The police have also booked Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, Harpreet Singh, Bikramjeet Singh and Gursahai Makhu, all based in the USA and Jagjeet Singh Mangat of Khanna.

A police spokesman said that the police, in presence of duty magistrate, conducted raids in village Rampur in Khanna and recovered over 2.84 lakh pamphlets carrying referendum 2020 activities. The police also recovered one canon printer, spray pump and spray bottles for writing secessionist graffiti on walls, one laptop, three mobile phones and one Honda City Car from their possession.

During preliminary investigations, it has been found that the accused Gurwinder Singh was radicalized and motivated over Youtube channel named “US Media International” being operated by JS Dhaliwal, who further introduced him to Gurpatwant Pannu. The Spokesman added that, on the instructions of Pannu, Gurwinder installed Khalistani flags on the premises of Government School in his village Rampur in Khanna.

It has also been revealed that the accused has till date registered around 20-25 persons for voting for promoting Sikh Referendum 2020 besides distributing pamphlets for different groups in the vicinity of Doraha, Ludhiana and providing money on the instance of Pannu, added the Spokesperson.

Police Spokesperson said that accused Gurwinder has also written wall graffiti, promoting Sikh Referendum 2020 activities (in English & Punjabi), under bridges and on signboards at various places in stretch of Khanna to Singhu Border in Delhi.

On the night of August 15, he spray painted pro-Sikh Referendum 2020 and anti-Indian slogans at various places.

The Spokesperson said for promoting secessionist activities, the accused had received huge funds from Pannu via human carriers, Hawala and MTSS channels.

Meanwhile, FIR no 7 dated 16/09/2021 has been registered under sections 124A, 153A, 153B and 120B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and sections 17, 18, 20, 40 of the UA(P) Act at Police Station SSOC in SAS Nagar. Further raids are being conducted to arrest the remaining accused.