NEW DELHI: The NIA has alleged that Canada-based Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun had planned to create a territory called the ‘democratic republic of Urduistan’ in an attempt to separate Kashmir from India.
The National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) report states that Pannun’s primary agenda through the Sikh for Justice (SFJ) organisation is to divide India.
“Pannun aims to divide India along religious lines. He intends to influence the country’s Muslim population to establish a separate Muslim nation, which he wishes to name the ‘democratic republic of Urduistan.’
“Furthermore, he is actively working to radicalise the people of Kashmir in order to potentially facilitate Kashmir’s separation from India,” the NIA’s latest report says.
The agency has claimed in its dossier that Pannun incited young individuals to engage in a secessionist movement and encouraged them to post provocative posters bearing pro-liberation slogans in Punjab. In an earlier report, the NIA had mentioned that Pannun runs law firms as he graduated in law from Punjab University. His law firm is known as ‘Pannun Law Firm,’ with offices in New York (Astoria Boulevard, Queens) and California (Liberty Street, Fremont).
However, he is spreading hatred and continuously creating law and order problems in India. Pannun has been booked in 16 cases filed in Delhi, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Haryana.
On July 6, 2017, a case under Sections 124-A, 153-A, 153-B, and 120-B of the IPC was filed against Pannun at PS Sohna, SAS Nagar. Several youths were arrested in connection with this case.
The Intelligence dossier mentions that, on Pannun’s instructions, the arrested youths were involved in promoting the secessionist movement and posting provocative posters with pro-liberation slogans in Punjab. A case under the TADA Act was also registered against Pannun on December 20, 1990. On April 2, 2018, another case was filed against Pannun at PS Sadar Banga, SBS Nagar.
Pannun was accused of encouraging Sikh youths to burn liquor shops and engage in other destructive activities. A month later, on May 31, 2018, another FIR was lodged at PS Rangar Nangal, Batala. The police dismantled a terror module engaged in burning liquor shops and planning other destructive activities and killings.
It was revealed that they were instigated by Pannun who also urged youths to display banners for a Punjab referendum across the state. On October 19, 2018, a case was registered at PS Sultanwind, Amritsar, regarding this incident. On Pannun’s instructions, these youths attempted to display Referendum 2020 banners in Amritsar city, potentially leading to communal tensions between Hindus and Sikhs. In 2019, Pannun was charged under Sections 120B, 124A, 153A, 153B, and 505 of the IPC and under Sections 13, 17, and 18 of the UAPA by the NIA for involvement in secessionist and terrorist activities against India. This case was filed on January 15, 2019. Later, in April 2020, the NIA added sedition charges against Pannun.
Pannun announced a reward of $2.5 million for anyone who raises the Khalistani flag at India Gate. He had also declared a reward of $1 million for any police officer who prevented the unfurling of the Tricolour at the Red Fort on August 15, 2021.
On July 7, 2022, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) declared him a listed terrorist. Pannu’s father, Mohinder Singh Pannun Jat, was a resident of Village Nathu Chak, PS Patti, TTN (before Partition) and Village Kahnkot, PS Ram Bagh, District Amritsar-City (after Partition). He resided in Chandigarh between 1953 and 1996 until his death. His mother Amarjit Kaur Pannun is around 80 years old. Pannu was married to Kulwinder Kaur, also known as Nikki, a resident of Dhariwal, District Gurdaspur. They have one son and one daughter. His brother Bhai Magwant Singh lives abroad. (IANS)
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