From terror to sedition, 22 cases against Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in Punjab alone

“He is accused in numerous FIRs in Punjab. Punjab Police is pursuing the legal course through the Centre for Pannun’s extradition so that he is subjected to trial in the criminal cases registered against him,” Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav told The Indian Express.

Key cases against Pannun include:

* December 20, 1990: He was first booked in a case of sedition (IPC section 124A) and offences under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act at West Police Station in Chandigarh, apart from promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony (section 153A) and criminal intimidation (section 506).

* July 6, 2017: Punjab Police registered a case against Pannun at Sohana Police Station in Mohali under IPC sections 124A, 153A, 153B (assertions prejudicial to national integration) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) after a hoarding of “Referendum 2020”, posters and slogans of Khalistan were found on walls in districts such as Mohali, Sangrur, Fatehgarh Sahib, Barnala, Gurdaspur, Patiala, Moga, Amritsar Rural, Hoshiarpur and Tarn Taran. An open arrest warrant was issued by Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Mohali in the case.

* May 31, 2018: Pannun was booked at Rangar Nangal Police Station in Batala police district in a case of attempt to murder (IPC section 307) and sections 438 (mischief by fire or explosive substance), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of Rs 50 or more), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly with common object). He was also booked under sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Arms Act.

The case was registered after SFJ activists identified as Dharminder Singh and Kirpal Singh Aulakh, and others, were alleged to have set ablaze a liquor vend at Theriawal in Gurdaspur district on the instructions of other SFJ activists based abroad, who were identified as Rana Singh, Deep Kaur and Mann Singh Khalsa.

During interrogation, the arrested accused allegedly revealed that they were instructed to target anti-Khalistanis and Hindu leaders in Punjab. Two .32 bore pistols, along with ammunition of different bores, one pistol .315 bore, Rs 40,000 in cash, SFJ posters, stencils and spray paint were recovered from them. The case is at the under-trial stage.

* October 19, 2018: Pannun was booked in a case at Sultanwind Police Station in the Amritsar police commissionerate. He was booked under IPC section 117 (abetting commission of offence by public or more than ten persons), 122 (collecting arms, etc., with intention of waging war against the Government), 124A, 153A, 153B and 120B, apart from sections of the Arms Act.

The case was transferred to the NIA, which has charge-sheeted Pannun in the case. The case was registered after Amritsar-based Sukhraj Singh and his associates allegedly received funds from abroad for the publicity of “Khalistan Referendum 2020”, including putting up banners in Amritsar city. The police also recovered 11 mobile phones, one .32 bore pistol (countrymade) and four live cartridges.

* April 10, 2020: Pannun was booked by Punjab Police at State Special Operations Cell (SSOC) Mohali Police Station in two FIRs for sedition and under sections of UAPA Act. He was booked in the two cases in connection with an automated pre-recorded audio message in which he purportedly instigated listeners by alleging that the Centre and the Punjab government were “torturing” youth in the name of the Covid lockdown. Pannun also allegedly offered Rs 2,000 from SFJ to each Covid patient in Punjab while alleging a high-handed attitude by the state.

In another case on the same day at the police station, Pannun was booked under sections of UAPA, Unlawful Activities Amendment Orders Act and the IT Act after a Facebook group propagated “anti-national activities” of SFJ regarding “Referendum 2020”. All the three cases are under investigation.

* June 19, 2020: Pannun was booked in another sedition case along with IPC sections 131 (abetting mutiny, or attempting to seduce a soldier, sailor or airman from his duty) and 153A along with sections of UAPA at Kurali Sadar Police Station in Mohali. This case is also under investigation. This case was registered after Pannun, in an automated pre-recorded audio message, tried to instigate Sikh soldiers. The case was transferred to the NIA which filed a chargesheet against Pannun.

* July 2, 2020: Punjab Police registered another sedition case against Pannun under IPC sections 153A and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), and for offences under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1967 and sections of UAPA. The case was registered at B-Division Police Station in Amritsar on the complaint of Loveleen alias Love Mattu, who heads the Dalit Suraksha Sena.

On the same day, Pannun was booked under sections of UAPA at Bholath Police Station in Kapurthala after an Italy-based SFJ activist identified as Joginder Singh Gujjar, who was in touch with Pannun, was alleged to be “actively propagating secessionist activities”. The case is under investigation.

* August 14, 2020: Pannun was booked by Punjab Police in another sedition case, apart from offences under IPC sections 153A, 121 (waging, or attempting to wage war, or abetting waging of war, against the Government of India), 121A (conspiracy to commit offences punishable by section 121). The case was registered at Moga City Police Station. Pannun was also booked under Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act 1971. The case was registered after SFJ activists Inderjit Singh and Jaspal Singh removed the Tricolour installed at the DC complex Moga, and installed the “Khalistan flag”. The case was transferred to the NIA, which filed a charge-sheet against Pannun in February 2021.

* August 30, 2021: Pannun was booked in a case under IPC sections 153, 153A, 124A and sections of UAPA and SC/ST Act in Mohali. This case was registered for “promoting violent extremist action and threatening assassination” of [then] Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh.

* September 16, 2021: Punjab Police booked Pannun in another sedition case along with IPC sections 153A, 153B and 120B, and sections of UAPA at SSOC Police Station in Mohali. The case is in the under-trial stage. The case was registered after three persons were arrested and 2.84 lakh pamphlets on “Referendum 2020” were recovered by the police. The police also recovered one printer, a spray pump, and spray-paint bottles for graffiti on walls, one laptop, three mobile phones and one car from the accused.

* September 17, 2021: Pannun was booked in a sedition case along with other offences at Dehlon Police Station in the Ludhiana police commissionerate after it was alleged that on the intervening night of August 18 and 19, two men identified as Gurwinder Singh and Jashan Mangat wrote pro-Khalistan slogans on the “directions of Pannun” on the walls of premises and roads of Gill village.

* June 4, 2022: Pannun was booked at State Cyber Crime Police Station Mohali for “sharing a video message” that attempted to instigate Sikh soldiers.

* June 11, 2022: He was booked at the Faridkot City Police Station after SFJ activists hoisted the “Khalistan flag” at the Faridkot DC’s office and wrote pro-Khalistan slogans on a court complex wall.

* June 13, 2022: Pannun was booked at Sadar Police Station in Ferozepur after pro-Khalistan slogans were found on the wall of the Divisional Railway Manager’s office.

* June 20, 2022: He was booked at Sangrur City Police Station after SFJ activists inscribed pro-Khalistan slogans on the outer wall of a temple in Sangrur.

* June 27, 2022: He was booked at the Sangrur station after SFJ activists inscribed slogans advocating a “Khalistan Referendum” on the walls of a water-testing laboratory and a club in Sangrur.

* June 30, 2022: Pannun was booked at the Jalandhar Cantt Police Station after alleged SFJ activists inscribed pro-Khalistan slogans on the outer wall of the Punjab Armed Police headquarters.

* July 4, 2022: He was booked in an FIR at Dera Baba Nanak Police Station in Gurdaspur district after SFJ activists inscribed pro-Khalistan slogans on the wall of the SDM’s office and at a bus stand.

* July 7, 2022: He was booked in a case relating to pro-Khalistan slogans inscribed by SFJ activists on the walls of the Dera Sacha Sauda sect building in Bathinda.

* August 28, 2022: Pannun was booked under sedition and other charges at Navi Baradari Police Station in Jalandhar police commissionerate after SFJ activists inscribed a pro-Khalistan slogan on a mirror over the statue of slain Punjab CM Beant Singh.