A tribunal of the Delhi High Court has confirmed the extension of a five-year ban imposed on pro-Khalistan separatist group Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) founded by US-based lawyer Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, citing a slew of subversive activities carried out by the outfit.
The activities include threats to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on July 10 last year extended the five-year ban imposed on SFJ under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967 for its relentless anti-India activities.
The Delhi High Court tribunal, consisting of Justice Anoop Kumar Mendiratta, was constituted on August 2 to adjudicate whether or not there is sufficient cause for extending the declaration of SFJ as an unlawful association. The tribunal on January 3 issued an order confirming the extension of the ban on SFJ for five more years with effect from July 10. The order was made available on Wednesday.
The government submitted before the tribunal that the indulgence of SFJ in activities prejudicial to the internal security of India and public order has the potential to disrupt peace, unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty of India.
The tribunal was told that the activities of the banned organisation are in close association with other separatists, terrorists and radical elements within the country. The SFJ continues to support the ideology of secession, violent forms of extremism and militancy in Punjab to carve out a so-called state of 'Khalistan' out of the territory of of India, the tribunal was also told.
The SFJ has been extending threats even to constitutional functionaries like the prime minister of India, home minister, external affairs minister, chief ministers of states, NSA and the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) chief, the government submitted.
The government also told the tribunal that Pannun targeted the Indian missions and diplomats abroad and has been trying to provoke the Sikh soldiers of the Indian Army to mutiny through social media.
Even during the pendency of proceedings before the tribunal, the SFJ targeted former Indian High Commissioner to Canada Sanjay Kumar Verma, alleging his involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada.
Further, a reward of USD 5,00,000 was offered to anyone who can track Verma's movements in India, which reflects that SFJ and its protagonist Pannun have scant regard for the Indian Constitution and have affronted sovereign authorities of India, it said.
It was also submitted before the tribunal that intelligence reports manifest that SFJ and Pannun were also involved in an agenda against India through an online campaign, the so-called 'Referendum 2020', to carve out an independent political entity 'Khalistan'.
The intelligence reports also revealed that SFJ organised a convention in Geneva for its 'Referendum 2020' in which it announced the beginning of voter registration for Sikhs in all the countries except India with the launch of a web portal.
Around 25 websites were launched for registration of voters from Punjab and SFJ announced to carry out door-to-door voter registration in Punjab and to pay a monthly stipend of Rs 7,500 for the execution of this registration.
Appeals were issued to Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) members, panchayat members and sarpanches to support the voter registration process and they were threatened not to leak out any information to the police, the tribunal has been told.
The intelligence agencies further reported that SFJ had made attempts to incite the Indian Sikh Jathas travelling to Pakistan for pilgrimage to access its websites. SFJ was also undertaking the recruitment of underprivileged Sikh youths to carry out pro-Khalistan propaganda and conduct terrorist acts in lieu of money. Such elements were found to be receiving instructions and support from Pakistan's ISI handlers, they said.
The government submitted that the evidence on record reveals that SFJ was directly involved in activities targeting the G-20 Summit 2023 which was held in Delhi. An open letter was issued to the foreign ministers of participating countries, seeking their support for 'Khalistan Referendum', it said.
Further, Pannun released an audio message provoking Kashmiri Muslims to leave the Kashmir valley and to come to Delhi and block Delhi during the G-20 Summit.
Pannun promoted the SFJ's call to boycott travelling by Air India from November 1-19, 2024 and the banned organisation repeatedly threatened India's political leaders, government officers including police, diplomats, judiciary and even their family members and relatives abroad.
SFJ has been found colluding with the Punjabi and Sikh gangsters abroad, who are working as ground-level mobilisers to propel its secessionist campaign. Ahead of Independence Day 2022, Pannun appealed to the jailed gangsters in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh to join 'the Khalistan Referendum' and made an open promise of 'monetary remuneration' for the gangsters for joining the secessionist campaign.
The tribunal has been told that the Punjab Police had registered 55 cases against SFJ under various Acts. The police of other states like Uttarakhand, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Assam, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh and Union Territory of Chandigarh have registered 41 FIRs reflecting the involvement of SFJ and its members. Similarly, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) reported eight cases against SFJ, the tribunal was also told.
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