SFJ has a list of politicians, cops’ children, govt tells UAPA tribunal
The disclosure was one of several made last month the government submitted evidence to an Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) tribunal as part of the process of extending the ban on SFJ.
New Delhi: Banned Khalistani separatist body Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) has a list of sons and daughters of Indian police officers and politicians it sees as opposed to its interests that study overseas, according to an assessment by the Centre, which described this as an intimidatory tactic.
The disclosure was one of several made last month the government submitted evidence to an Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) tribunal as part of the process of extending the ban on SFJ. HT has reviewed the submission.
The government added that SFJ organises anti-India protests in different countries including the US, the UK, and Canada with the “active support of Pakistan” and “in tandem with” Inter Services Institute (Pakistan’s spy agency) backed Pakistani diaspora groups as well as some members of the Kashmiri diaspora.
The tribunal, presided over by Justice Anoop Kumar Mendiratta of the Delhi high court, last week upheld the ministry of home affairs’ decision, taken in July 2024. Led by Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and headquartered in New York, SFJ was banned for the first time in 2019.
Focusing on threats to Indian politicians including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, home minister Amit Shah, Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann and top security officers, the government said in its written submission before the tribunal on December 19, 2024, that Pannun raised “substantial funds for commission of terrorist acts and killings of important leaders, public figures and functionaries to overawe the government and the Indian public at large and intends to use the same for commission of terrorist acts for the ultimate objective of creation of Khalistan”.
“SFJ has also claimed to have prepared a list of children of Police officers and politicians who are studying in foreign countries to take revenge, if its activists are tortured,” it added.
In late 2023, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) unsealed an indictment filed by federal prosecutors against a man named Nikhil Gupta. The indictment alleged that a serving Indian government employee involved in intelligence and security affairs had assigned Gupta to hire hitmen — who turned out to be undercover agents for American law enforcement — to kill Pannun, a dual American-Canadian national who has been designated as a terrorist by the government of India. These remain allegations that are yet to be proven in a court of law. Gupta is currently in a US jail, awaiting trial.
Detailing the threats issued by SFJ to Indian officials and politicians, the government’s submission said: “SFJ has been threatening the chief minster and Ministers of Punjab, National Security Advisor, R&AW Chief, senior police and other government officers, diplomats, judges and other legal practitioners”, apart from targeting Indian missions and Indian diplomats in different countries.
“Pannun has announced a reward of $2,50,000 for murdering Lt General Kuldip Singh Brar, Major General Keshav Padha, Brigadier lsrar Khan and Colonel Jasbir Rana for attacking Darbar Sahib in June 1984 (Operation Blue Star). He also threatened the senior officials of government of India and the officers of law enforcement agencies,” it added.
Officials HT spoke to said several officers in NIA, R&AW and Punjab Police already have been provided security over a period of time because of threats from SFJ and other Khalistani groups.
Regarding threats to Indian diplomats and their families, the government submission claims that “photographs of several Indian diplomats have been circulated by Pannun mentioning them as ‘killers in UK’/ ‘Killers in USA’/’Killers in Canada’/ ‘Killers in Australia’ blaming them for killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar and prominently displaying ‘Kill India posters’, thus making Indian diplomats vulnerable and putting at risk the lives of senior Indian diplomats, officials and their families posted in various countries.”
Highlighting how SFJ’s anti-India activities accelerated after Canada levelled allegations of involvement of Indian agencies in killing of terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar (in June 2023), the government said: “The ISI has been supporting SFJ and its agenda. Following Canada’s statement linking the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar with Indian agencies, SFJ activists raised pro-Khalistan and anti-India slogans while holding the flags of Khalistan outside United Nations Headquarters in New York and also carried out protests outside the Indian Missions in USA, UK, Australia, etc. Indian National Flag was also desecrated by the protestors.”
The document reveals that 104 cases have been registered against SFJ and its functionaries across India.