The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday filed a chargesheet against 16 foreign-based Khalistanis in Referendum 2020 ( Sikhs for Justice) Case.
The chargesheet was filed before the NIA Special Court here under various Indian Penal Code Sections relating to criminal conspiracy and sedition among others besides provisions of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
The case relates to organized conspiracy by the accused for launching a concerted secessionist campaign under the banner of ‘Referendum 2020’ for creation of so called ‘Khalistan’.
The chargesheeted accused are Gurpatwant Singh Pannun (resident of New York, USA), Avtar Singh Pannun (New York, USA) Gurpreet Singh Baagi (UK) Harpreet Singh alias Rana Singh ( New York, USA) Paramjit Singh alias Pamma (UK), Sarabjit Singh Bannur (UK), Amardeep Singh Purewal (California, USA), J S Dhaliwal (Canada), Kulwant Singh Mothada (UK) Dupinderjit Singh (UK), Hardeep Singh Nijjar (Canada), Kulwant Singh alias Kanta (UK), Harjaap Singh alias Japhi Singh (California, USA), Sarabjit Singh alias Sabi Singh (California, USA), Jatinder Singh Grewal, (Canada) and S Himmat Singh (New York, USA).
The chargesheeted accused are members of Sikh for Justice, an organization declared as ‘Unlawful Association’ under UA (P) Act.
"Investigation in the case has revealed that Sikhs for Justice, a secessionist outfit floated in the garb of ‘Human Rights advocacy group’ with its offices in various foreign countries like the USA, Canada, the UK, Australia etc, is a frontal organization of Khalistan terrorist outfits operating from foreign soils including Pakistan," the NIA said in a statement.
It further said, "Under this campaign, numerous social media accounts on FaceBook, Twitter, Whatsapp, YouTube Channels and a number of websites have been launched, which are being used to propagate sedition as well as enmity on the grounds of region and religion, to radicalise impressionable youth, to cause disturbance to peace and harmony and to raise funds for terrorist activities."
SFJ has been attempting to undermine the security of the Indian State by instigating Sikh personnel in the Indian army to rise up in mutiny against India.
SFJ is also trying to radicalize youth of Kashmir and openly extending support for secession of Kashmir from India, the agency alleged.
Based on the dossiers provided by NIA and other agencies, the chief patrons of SFJ namely Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, Hardeep Singh Nijjar and Paramjit Singh alias Pamma have already been designated as ‘Terrorist’ under UA (P) Act.
During the course of investigation, the NIA identified immovable properties belonging to terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in Amritsar,
Punjab and terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Jalandhar, Punjab.