Chandigarh: Punjab Police has registered an FIR in Amritsar against 16 people, including SGPC’s former chief secretary, in connection with the disappearance of 328 ‘saroops’ (sacred copies) of the Guru Granth Sahib in 2020.

The FIR was registered on Sunday under sections 295 (injuring or defiling a place of worship or sacred object with intent to insult a religion), 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings), 409 (criminal breach of trust), 465 (forgery) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code at Division-C police station in Amritsar, according to an official statement.

The accused included Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC)’s former chief secretary Roop Singh and ex-secretary of Dharam Parchar Committee Manjit Singh.

The others against whom the case has been registered are Gurbachan Singh, Satinder Singh, Nishan Singh, Paramjit Singh, Gurmukh Singh, Jujhar Singh, Baaj Singh, Dalbir Singh, Kamaljit Singh, Kulwant Singh, Jaspreet Singh, Gurbachan Singh, Satinder Singh and Amarjit Singh.

The matter pertaining to missing 328 saroops of Guru Granth Sahib from the SGPC’s publication house in Amritsar came to light in June 2020, leading to a major controversy at that time.

It was alleged that it happened due to “misappropriation” by the SGPC staff.

An inquiry was also conducted by the Akal Takht-appointed panel into the matter, and several SGPC officials were found guilty of misconduct.

Meanwhile, Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan said that the state government will not tolerate any act of sacrilege.

“Our government will not spare anybody who will commit this type of heinous crime.”

“Guru Sahib ji has guided us to protect all the religions across the globe,” he said.

Singer Bhai Baldev Singh Vadala commended the state government for getting an FIR registered against those who allegedly committed sacrilege of 328 saroops of Guru Granth Sahib.