Centre To Ban ‘Sikhs For Justice’ For Another 5 Years

The Centre is all set to ban ‘Sikhs For Justice’ (SFJ) for another five years under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, citing “fresh evidence” from the investigation carried out by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), against SFJ and its patron Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, said officials.

Centre To Ban ‘Sikhs For Justice’ For Another 5 Years

The Centre is all set to ban ‘Sikhs For Justice’ (SFJ) for another five years under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, citing “fresh evidence” from the investigation carried out by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), against SFJ and its patron Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, said officials. The NIA is investigating half a dozen cases against SFJ and Pannun, a US national. The agency last year attached his properties in Punjab and Chandigarh UT. SFJ was banned for the first time on July 10, 2019, under UAPA for five years.

NIA investigations stated that Pannu was the main handler and controller of the SFJ. He has been actively exhorting Punjab-based gangsters and youth over social media to fight for the cause of an independent state of Khalistan, challenging the sovereignty, integrity and security of the country. SFJ is also alleged to be involved in the Model Jail tiffin bomb case of April 2022 in Punjab which was orchestrated by Jaswinder Singh alias Multani, based in Germany.

Multani, a member of the banned SFJ, was in touch with pro-Khalistan operatives based in India, Pakistan and other countries, and was using them to promote violence and terror. He was identifying, recruiting, motivating and radicalizing youth of Punjab through social media, as per the NIA investigations.

He was also sending/raising funds and coordinating the movement of arms & ammunition, as well as explosives from Pakistan into India, the agency stated. An Indian national Nikhil Gupta, also known as Nick, 53, was arrested and detained in the Czech Republic and extradited to the United States on June 14 this year in an alleged plot to kill Pannun, also involving an Indian government official, according to the US Justice Department.

Unlawful Activities Prevention Act

The Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) is India’s toughest terror law with some alleged draconian provisions. It was first enacted in 1967 to deal with secessionist movements and anti-national activities.

It was amended several times, most recently in 2019, to include provisions related to terrorist financing, cyber-terrorism, individual designation, and seizure of property.

It empowers the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to investigate and prosecute cases under UAPA across the country.

It provides for the death penalty and life imprisonment as the highest punishments for terrorist acts.