Punjab: SGPC strips secretary of gurdwara mgmt charge

The move comes amid an ongoing inquiry into the authenticity of the purported SGPC authorisation letter allegedly bearing the secretary’s forged signature

Days after the illegal sale of land belonging to Gurdwara Amb Sahib in Mohali surfaced, the SGPC has removed secretary (general administration) Partap Singh from his charge of management of major gurdwaras.

The charge has been transferred from Partap to junior officer and additional secretary Gurinder Singh Mathrewal. (Gurminder Singh/HT)

The charge, given under Section 85 (management of certain gurdwaras) of the Sikh Gurdwara Act, 1925, has been transferred from Partap to junior officer and additional secretary Gurinder Singh Mathrewal, SGPC officials privy to the matter confirmed. The secretary’s remaining functions remain unchanged.

The move comes amid an ongoing inquiry into the authenticity of the purported SGPC authorisation letter allegedly bearing the secretary’s forged signature.

Earlier this week, Punjab police had booked seven people, including gurdwara manager Rajinder Singh, for selling the land, measuring 44 marlas (2.2 kanals) in Sainimajra village, IT City, Sector 101, for a negligible ₹1.32 crore using fake documents.

According to the FIR, the gurdwara manager in connivance with the other co-accused prepared forged authority letter of the SGPC by putting the secretary’s fake signature and to transfer rights to himself for execution of the land registration, completed at the Sub-Registrar Office in Mohali on December 2, 2025.

The FIR was lodged on the complaint of Partap.

While SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami was not available for a comment, honorary chief secretary and member Kulwant Singh Manan said, “The illegal land sale is being probed. We are inquiring the veracity of the authorisation letter.