Pannun booked after threat calls ahead of World Cup

Pannun, a Khalistan separatist, was designated an ‘individual terrorist’ by India on July 1, 2020.

As per the FIR, the calls with the country code +44 (United Kingdom) with a voice clip containing threats against the World Cup matches in Ahmedabad were made “to spread terror and rumours”. The calls are recorded in “Pannun’s voice”, a police officer told The Indian Express. Threats were made to “storm Ahmedabad with Khalistan flag” to avenge the killing of Nijjar, which has lately emerged as a diplomatic flashpoint between India and Canada.

Pannun has been booked under sections related to the charges of conspiracy and spreading hatred under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and the Information Technology Act.

Sources in the police department said the phone calls were made using the “spoofing method”, using a commercial broadcast and they had been received by various legal, media, and a few law enforcement professionals based in Ahmedabad.

Jitendra M Yadav, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Cyber Crime), told reporters on Friday that the FIR had been lodged against Pannun. “Earlier, similar (threats) were flashed during the India vs. Australia match (in March this year which was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australia counterpart Anthony Albanese). We registered a complaint based on that… 17 SIM boxes were demolished and seven people were arrested as well. However, in this case, the modus operandi has changed as we demolished their previous one (sim boxes) and in this case, as well, we’ll make the arrests soon,”

“Our technical team is working and the people who provided the illegal data shall also be arrested. For this case, we will take the help of the central agencies and we’ll try to reach Pannu. For the locals involved in this case who supported the threats in any way logistically or information will also be arrested.” he further added.

“On Thursday, the police noticed that a +44 (United Kingdom) phone number has been calling different persons in which a pre-recorded voice clip is running. The citizens in the city after receiving the calls reported the criminal threats to the police,” as per the FIR.

The FIR is based on sub-inspector H N Prajapati’s complaint. It has been lodged 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.