Delhi Police’s Special Cell has arrested a 38-year-old man from Haryana in connection with the pro-Khalistan graffiti on the walls of ISBT flyover in September.The accused has been identified as Malak Singh alias Malik, a resident of Kurukshetra in Haryana. With the arrest of the accused, Delhi Police has averted the untoward incidents on the day of the final match of the Cricket World Cup on November 19, as he was tasked by Pannun to paint pro-Khalistan slogans at different venues, including Delhi Airport on that day.
He painted the graffiti in Delhi and other parts of the country at the behest of Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, the chief of banned organisation Sikhs for Justice, police said. On September 27, 2023, multiple pro-Khalistan graffiti mentioning “Delhi banega Khalistan SFJ” and “Khalistan Zindabad SFJ” were found sprayed under and over Yudhister Setu, Kashmere Gate, a senior police officer said.
Later, a video also appeared over the internet where Pannun claimed that Khalistani Sikhs from Canada have reached Delhi to target the Parliament House to avenge the assassination of Nijjar, and various graffiti have been sprayed in Delhi, the officer said.
“During investigation, a person wearing a turban was spotted near the spots. The suspect boarded a Punjab-bound bus and de-boarded it at Pipli, Kurukshetra. Later, the alleged person was identified as Malak Singh.
“On Sunday, police arrested Singh who was involved in the painting of graffiti on the walls of Yudhister Setu, near the Kashmere Gate Metro Station on the direction of SFJ handler Pannun,” Special Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) HGS Dhaliwal said. He was also involved in three other incidents of pro-Khalistan graffiti in Haryana before the G-20 Summit, Dhaliwal said.
Singh inclined towards Khalistan ideology since childhood. In 2018, after the announcement of Referendum 2020 by Pannun, he started following SFJ videos and messages, police said.