Ahmedabad: Amid the diplomatic standoff between Canada and India, Ahmedabad Cyber Police in Gujarat have registered a FIR against Khalistani leader and founder of the banned Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), Gurpatwant Singh Pannu over his purported audio wherein he threatened the opening match of the World Cup 2023 at the Narendra Modi stadium, sources said.
It is learnt that a complaint has been lodged in Ahmedabad Cyber Crime in this regard. Sources said that Pannu has been booked on charges of conspiracy and spreading hatred under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and the Information Technology Act. It is learnt that the FIR has been registered following a complaint lodged by Sub-Inspector H N Prajapati’s.
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Sources said that the FIR has been registered under sections 121 (A) (conspiring to wage war against the Government of India), 153 (A) (hate speech and punishes any form of action or communication that leads to disharmony or feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will among people), 153 B(1) (C) (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national-integration), 501 (1) (B) (printing or engraving matter known to be defamatory) and 120 (B) (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC; Section 66 (F) (cyber terrorism) of the IT Act; and Section 161 (B) (terrorist act) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
The police complaint comes after several Ahmedabad residents received pre-recorded audio of Pannu threatening to sabotage the opening match of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 to be played between England and New Zealand at the Narendra Modi stadium on October 5. According to the complaint lodged with the Ahmedabad Cyber Police station, a pre-recorded phone call of terrorist Pannu has gone viral on social media.
In the audio call originating from the UK, Pannu is heard saying ''not the World Cricket Cup but the World Terror Cup will start this October”.