NIA books Gurpatwant Pannun over call to Sikh soldiers to stop PM Modi from hoisting national flag

Gurpatwant Pannun

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a new case against Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a US-based Khalistani terrorist, for offering a reward to prevent Prime Minister Narendra Modi from hoisting the national flag on this year's Independence Day and "spreading disaffection among Sikhs against India", besides other charges.

According to the NIA's FIR, Pannun, who is the general counsel for the banned "Sikhs For Justice" (SFJ) outfit, made the announcement during a "Meet the Press" event at the Lahore Press Club in Pakistan on August 10.

The FIR also notes that at the event, Pannun unveiled a map for a new Khalistan, which he said would include Punjab, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, and claimed that the SFJ had formed a "Shaheed Jatha" to fight against India.

The case was registered following a directive from the Union Home Ministry. In its order directing the NIA to probe the issue, the ministry said "Pannun, a designated terrorist and general counsel" of the SFJ, hosted a "Meet the Press" event at the Lahore Press Club on August 10, where he addressed journalists through a video link from Washington, "primarily focussing on the rejection of India's sovereignty over Punjab and the promotion of Khalistan".

In a video address from Washington, he declared a reward of Rs 11 crore to "Sikh soldiers" who would stop PM Modi from unfurling the tricolour at the Red Fort in Delhi.

Meanwhile, Canadian authorities have arrested Inderjit Singh Gosal, a close aide of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, chief of the banned outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), on multiple firearms-related charges in Ottawa.

The arrest comes just days after Indian and Canadian National Security Advisers held talks in New Delhi, signalling possible cooperation in addressing terrorism concerns. The timing has raised speculation that Ottawa may be taking stronger action against separatist networks amid ongoing diplomatic tension with India.