Chandigarh: The Punjab Police on Friday busted a secessionist module of the banned organisation Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) and arrested its three members. They recovered over 2 lakh secessionist pamphlets during a raid conducted at Rampur village in Ludhiana's Khanna.
Those arrested have been identified as Gurwinder Singh of Rampur, Jagwinder Singh and Sukhdev Singh, both residents of Morinda in Ropar. The police have also booked Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, Harpreet Singh, Bikramjeet Singh and Gursahai Makhu, all based in the US, and Jagjeet Singh Mangat of Khanna.
SFJ was banned by the Indian government in July 2019 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for its involvement in promoting secessionist tendencies as well as violent militancy in Punjab as well as Sikh Referendum 2020. Their activities were aimed at creating a divide between communities and disturbing the peace and communal harmony in Punjab.
The police also recovered a printer, spray pump and spray bottles that were used in writing secessionist graffiti on walls, a laptop, three mobile phones and one a sedan four-wheeler from their possession.
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"During preliminary investigations, it has been found that one of the accused, Gurwinder Singh, was radicalised by Youtube channel 'US Media International' operated by JS Dhaliwal, who further introduced him to Gurpatwant Pannu," the police spokesman said. On the instructions of Pannu, Gurwinder installed Khalistani flags on the premises of a government school in Rampur, the spokesman said.
It has also been revealed that the accused managed to get around 20-25 people to register for promoting Sikh Referendum 2020, besides distributing pamphlets among different groups in Doraha and Ludhiana. They were provided money on the instance of Pannu. The spokesperson said for promoting secessionist activities, the accused received huge funds from Pannu via human carriers, Hawala and MTSS channels.
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The spokesperson also said that accused Gurwinder Singh had painted graffiti promoting Sikh Referendum 2020 activities, in English and Punjabi, under bridges and on signboards at various places from Khanna to Singhu Border in Delhi.
On August 15 night, he spray-painted pro-Sikh Referendum 2020 and anti-Indian slogans at various places, the police said.
The accused have been booked under IPC Sections 124A (sedition), 153A (promoting enmity), 153B (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national-integration), and 120B (criminal conspiracy) and Sections 17, 18, 20, 40 of the UA(P) Act.
Further raids are being conducted to arrest the remaining accused.
