Ahmedabad Police have registered an FIR against Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, founder of the banned outfit “Sikh for Justice”, after he issued a threat to the ICC Cricket World Cup, especially for the tournament opener to be held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on October 5.
The FIR has been registered against Pannu under 121(A),153(A)(B), 505 Indian Penal Code (IPC), Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and IT Act 66 F. “Threatening pre-recorded messages were published on various social media handles and an attempt was made to spoil the atmosphere. FIR registered against Pannu under 121(A),153(A)(B), 505 IPC, UAPA and IT Act 66 F,” said Ajit Rajian, Cyber Crime DCP, Ahmedabad.
Pannu has released a pre-recorded message in which he can be heard making a statement about destroying the Parliament House. “Pro Khalistan Sikhs from Canada are in Delhi to avenge the assassination of Shaheed Najjar. On Shaheed Nijjar’s assassination, we are going to use a ballot against your bullet. We are going to use the vote against your violence. The target will be October 5, ICC World Cup Ahmedabad. This will be the start of the World Terror Cup.”
Notably, several people received calls from a UK phone number +44 7418 343648 wherein a pre-recorded audio message by the terrorist was played.
Pannu also issued threats to Indian diplomats in Canada, especially Sanjay Verma, High Commissioner of India to Canada. The Khalistani terror group ‘advised’ India to shut down its mission in Ottawa and recall the envoy posted there.
“India and the Modi regime have insulted Prime Minister Trudeau. Modi regime, it is advisable that you shut down your embassy in Ottawa and bring back your ambassador Verma. This advice is from the Canadians and this advice is from Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the SFJ general council. We are going to hold Modi and Ambassador Verma accountable for disrespecting Prime Minister Trudeau. It’s very wise to bring back Verma and shut down the Ottawa embassy,” he added.
Before this, the NIA had seized immovable properties of Pannu in Chandigarh and Amritsar, including agricultural land measuring 46 kanals (approximately 5.7 acres) in Khan Kot village near Amritsar and a one-fourth share of a house in Chandigarh. An NIA official had stated that this action would strengthen the country’s efforts against terrorist and separatist networks operated from various countries, including Canada. These properties were seized following orders issued by NIA’s Special Court in Mohali.
Canada-based Pannu was designated as a wanted terrorist in 2020. He is facing more than 20 criminal cases in Punjab. He has repeatedly threatened several leaders including PM Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
The Centre by its July 10, 2019 notification had declared SFJ unlawful association and had banned it for five years, saying the group’s primary objective was to establish an “independent and sovereign country” in Punjab and it openly espouses the cause of Khalistan and in that process, challenges the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India. This was later upheld by an Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act tribunal.
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