UAPA Tribunal Confirms Centre's Decision To Ban Sikhs For Justice For 5 Years

The tribunal led by Justice Anoop Mendiratta of Delhi HC also noted SFJ's ties to Pakistan's ISI and their efforts to revive militancy in Punjab.

New Delhi: The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) Tribunal has confirmed the Centre's July 8 notification declaring the Gurpatwant Singh Pannun-led Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) as an unlawful organization for five years. The tribunal, led by Justice Anoop Kumar Mendiratta of the Delhi High Court, on Friday, found the Centre's evidence against SFJ compelling.

The evidence highlighted activities such as recruiting and radicalizing youth via social media, financing terrorism through smuggling networks to procure weapons and explosives, issuing death threats to political figures, including the Prime Minister and Home Minister, and attempting to incite mutiny among Sikh soldiers in the Army.

Justice Mendiratta deemed the evidence credible, particularly SFJ's connections with international Khalistani terrorist and separatist groups, including Babbar Khalsa International. The tribunal also noted SFJ's ties to Pakistan's ISI and their efforts to revive militancy in Punjab.

The central government has recently constituted an Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal to examine whether there is sufficient cause to extend the declaration of banned pro-Khalistan group SFJ as an unlawful association under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, according to an MHA notification.

On July 8, the Ministry of Home Affairs extended the declaration of SFJ as an unlawful association for another five years, effective from July 10, 2024. The MHA had previously imposed a similar ban on SFJ in 2019.

The Ministry extended the ban under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, citing the group's involvement in "anti-national and subversive activities aimed at disrupting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India."

According to the MHA notification, SFJ was engaged in activities prejudicial to India's internal security and public order, including supporting violent extremism and militancy in Punjab and elsewhere to carve out a sovereign Khalistan from Indian territory.

The notification further alleged that SFJ maintains close ties with militant outfits and activists, actively encouraging and aiding secessionist activities, including attempts to destabilize the democratically elected government of India.