India Takes Action Against Alleged Khalistani Threat Targeting PM Modi Worth Rs 11 Crore

Khalistani activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and his group ‘Sikhs For Justice’ (SFJ) are under the scanner in India. The organisations are facing a case in the country over a video of Pannun announcing a bounty of Rs 11 crore for the one who stops PM Narendra Modi from hoisting the tricolour this Independence Day.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has booked the case based on a video that was purported to question the sovereignty of India. The video was the part of a ‘Meet the Press’ program organised by the SFJ in Lahore Press Club, Pakistan, on August 10. In the video, Pannun, the general counsel of SFJ was seen giving the address from the US via video link.

In his address, he allegedly “criticised India and released a map of Khalistan, which would consist of Punjab, Delhi, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh as part of it. The FIR was filed against Pannun and the organization and stated that India anti-terror move were “aimed at disturbing the sovereignty, territorial, India security crackdown, and also tend to instigate the people of Sikh religion in India to harbour disaffection against the government of India and encourage them to the commission of offences against the country.” The organization also has been accused of creating a ‘martyr’s group’ in order to “aggress on India”.

Government has handed over the case to National Investigation Agency (NIA), India’s premier anti-terror law enforcement agency, stating that PM Modi Khalistan threat of National Security and it directly related to Anti-India Activities. Case has been registered against him under Section 61(2) of the BNS (criminal conspiracy) and the relevant sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, on the orders of the Union Home Ministry.

“The address by Pannun on August 10 focused on negating the sovereignty of India over the state of Punjab and propagating the demand for the creation of a Khalistani threat PM Modi,” the ministry said. “The case is being investigated by the agency in order to get to the root of these activities which are deemed a major Rs 11 crore terror threat to the security of India.”