As a part of the National Investigation Agency’s big
crackdown against separatist terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the agency seized
his house in Punjab’s Chandigarh and confiscated land owned by him in Amritsar.
Pannun, who is also the self-styled General Counsel of
the banned separatist organisation Sikhs for Justice, faces 22 criminal cases
in Punjab, including three of sedition.
The confiscated properties include 46 Kanal of
agricultural property in his ancestral village, Khankot, situated on the
outskirts of Amritsar district. Another property, house no 2033 in Sector 15-C,
Chandigarh, has been seized.
Pannu has now lost rights to the property and it now
belongs to the government. In 2020, his properties were attached, which meant
he could not sell the property.
“The action, which comes as a big boost to the
country’s crackdown on the terror and secessionist network being operated from
various countries, including Canada, followed confiscation orders passed by the
NIA Special Court, SAS Nagar, Mohali,” stated NIA in a statement.
He had recently threatened Indo-Canadian Hindus to
leave the country and return to India.
In a viral video amid a massive diplomatic row
between the two countries over the murder of another separatist terrorist
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Pannun was heard saying, “Indo-Canadian Hindus, you have
repudiated your allegiance to Canada and Canadian Constitution. Your
destination is India. Leave Canada, go to India.”
“Pro-Khalistan Sikhs have always been loyal to
Canada. They have always sided with Canada, and they have always upheld the
laws and the Constitution,” he added.
Pannun also appealed to all Canadian Sikhs to gather
in Vancouver on October 29 for a referendum to vote on whether the Indian High
Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma was responsible for Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s
killing.
The Home Ministry had in July 2020 declared Pannun a
terrorist, and requested an Interpol red notice for him.
However, Interpol has twice declined India’s request
to issue a Red Corner Notice on terror charges against him, citing inadequate
information.
Pannu has been on NIA’s radar since 2019, when the
anti-terror agency had filed its first case against the terrorist, who has been
playing a significant role in promoting and commissioning terror acts and
activities, and spreading fear and terror in Punjab and elsewhere in the
country through his threats and intimidation tactics, NIA said.
Non-Bailable warrants of arrest were issued against
Pannu by the NIA Special Court on February 3, 2021, and he was declared a ‘Proclaimed
Offender’ on November 29 last year, it added.
“NIA investigations have revealed that Pannu’s
organisation, Sikhs for Justice, was misusing the cyberspace to radicalise
gullible youth and to instigate them to undertake terrorist crimes and
activities. It further emerged during the NIA investigations that Pannu was the
main handler and controller of the SFJ. Sikhs for Justice was declared as an ‘Unlawful
Association’ by the Government of India, vide notification No.S.O.2469 (E)
dated 10th July 2019,” NIA said.
He has been “actively exhorting” gangsters and youth
from Punjab over the social media to fight for the cause of independent State
of Khalistan, challenging the sovereignty, integrity and security of the
country, NIA investigations have shown, the agency said.
In the past few days, Pannu garnered attention for
issuing blatant threats to senior Indian diplomats and government functionaries
in public forums.
Pannun’s outfit advocates for a religion-based
separate State carved out from Punjab and many neighbouring areas in India, to
be known as ‘Khalistan’.
It has also held “Punjab Independence Referendum” in
Canada and Australia. The Indian Government has called the so-called
referendums ‘unfortunate’ and asked the Canadian Government to act against it.
NE Watch Desk
