Gurpatwant Singh Pannu: The voice from US stirring Khalistan waters in Punjab

Originally from Khankot village on the outskirts of Amritsar, Pannu is a law graduate from Panjab University. One of the three children of Mahinder Singh, a former employee with the Punjab State Agricultural Marketing Board, Pannu is now an attorney at law in the US.

4 min readAmritsarUpdated: May 11, 2022 07:38 AM IST

A day after the Punjab Police’s Intelligence Wing HQ was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade, an audio message, purportedly of Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, the US-based founder of the banned Sikh for Justice (SFJ), did the rounds in which he is heard sending out a warning to Himachal CM Jai Ram Thakur that the attack in Mohali could as well have been on the Shimla Police headquarters. The audio message also has Pannu allegedly claiming responsibility for installing ‘Khalistani flags’ on the gates of the Assembly building in Dharamshala.

Pannu has been at the centre of some of the most vexing cases for the Punjab Police, those that have served to bring back memories of the state’s turbulent past – from holding ‘Punjab Referendum 2020’ to running a campaign seeking the release of Jagtar Singh Hawara, who is serving a life sentence in the Beant Singh assassination case.

Read | ‘Khalistan’, Himachal: Puzzled parties wonder what’s common, except Punjab polls

Originally from Khankot village on the outskirts of Amritsar, Pannu is a law graduate from Panjab University. One of the three children of Mahinder Singh, a former employee with the Punjab State Agricultural Marketing Board, Pannu is now an attorney at law in the US.

He was among the founders of the US-based SFJ, which claims to be “an international advocacy and human rights group set up in 2007 with the express intent of achieving self-determination for the Sikh people in their historic homeland in the region of Indian held Punjab and establishing a sovereign state, popularly known as Khalistan.”

Pannu’s professional skills as a practising lawyer helped him run the SFJ’s campaign against Indian leaders allegedly linked to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. SFJ even moved the US courts seeking to prosecute Congress leaders Kamal Nath, Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh.

In September 2013, during Manmohan Singh’s visit to the US, a federal court in Washington had issued summons to the then PM acting on a plea by the SFJ that accused him of “funding crimes against humanity perpetrated upon the Sikh community in India”.

In 2016, then Punjab CM Amarinder Singh had to cancel a visit to Canada following a case filed by the SFJ.

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In August 2018, he was in the midst of another headline-grabbing exercise: the SFJ made a declaration in London for a ‘Referendum 2020’ “to liberate Punjab that’s currently occupied by India”. The ‘referendum’, however, fizzled out.

In 2019, Pannu and the SFJ received a jolt when the outfit was banned under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The Home Ministry noted: “In the garb of the so-called referendum for Sikhs, SFJ is actually espousing secessionism and militant ideology in Punjab, while operating from safe havens on foreign soils and actively supported by inimical forces in other countries.”

Pannu was in the news during the agitation against the farm bills when, in January 2021, the National Investigation Agency registered an FIR against Pannu and issued summons to various farmer leaders and activists to probe their source of funding.

Despite his openly secessionist calls, like-minded pro-Khalistan groups in India such as the Dal Khalsa and Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) have reservations about Pannu and his activism. They accuse him of luring youngsters in Punjab into carrying out his activities by paying them money while himself enjoying diplomatic immunity from arrest as he is a US citizen.

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Pannu’s critics point to how over 10 youngsters were arrested in 2018 alone in cases allegedly instigated by Pannu, yet the man himself roams free – he was once even spotted at a White House event when Donald Trump was US President.

Pannu is known to often announce rewards for hoisting the Khalistan flag on government buildings. SFJ had also promised visas to youngsters to lure them to attend its ‘London declaration’.

Pannu is known to be relentless about bombarding social media with his audio and video messages, delivered in highly accented Punjabi. The latest was after the Mohali blast, when he sent out a chilling warning to the Himachal CM.

Kamaldeep Singh Brar

Kamaldeep Singh Brar is a Principal Correspondent at The Indian Express, primarily covering Amritsar and the Majha region of Punjab. He is one of the publication's key reporters for stories involving the Akal Takht, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), and the sensitive socio-political issues of the border districts. Core Beats & Specializations Religious & Panthic Affairs: He has deep expertise in the internal workings of the Akal Takht and SGPC, frequently reporting on religious sentences (Tankhah), Panthic politics, and the influence of Sikh institutions. National Security & Crime: His reporting covers cross-border drug smuggling, drone activities from Pakistan, and the activities of radical groups. Regional Politics: He is the primary correspondent for the Majha belt, covering elections and political shifts in Amritsar, Tarn Taran, and Gurdaspur. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His work in late 2025 has been centered on judicial developments, local body elections, and religious controversies: 1. Religious Politics & Akal Takht "Akal Takht pronounces religious sentences against former Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh" (Dec 8, 2025): Covering the historic decision to hold the former Jathedar guilty for granting a pardon to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim in 2015. "YouTube suspends SGPC’s channel for a week over video on 1984 Army action" (Nov 20, 2025): Reporting on the digital friction between global tech platforms and Sikh religious bodies. "As AAP govt grants Amritsar holy tag, a look at its fraught demand" (Nov 28, 2025): An analytical piece on the long-standing demand for declaring Amritsar a "holy city" and its political implications. 2. Crime & National Security "Mostly Khalistanis on Amritpal’s hit list: Punjab govt to High Court" (Dec 16, 2025): Reporting on the state government's claims regarding jailed MP Amritpal Singh orchestrating activity from prison. "Punjab man with links to Pakistan’s ISI handlers killed in encounter" (Nov 20, 2025): Detailing a police operation in Amritsar involving "newly refurbished" firearms likely sent from across the border. "15 schools in Amritsar get bomb threat emails; police launch probe" (Dec 12, 2025): Covering the panic and police response to mass threats against educational institutions. 3. Political Analysis & Elections "AAP wins 12 of 15 zones in SAD stronghold Majitha" (Dec 19, 2025): Highlighting a significant shift in the 2025 rural elections where the Akali Dal lost its grip on a traditional fortress. "Tarn Taran bypoll: woman faces threats after complaining to CM Mann about drug menace" (Nov 9, 2025): A ground report on the personal risks faced by citizens speaking out against the illegal drug trade in border villages. "AAP wins Tarn Taran bypoll, but SAD finds silver lining" (Nov 14, 2025): Analyzing the 2025 assembly by-election results and the surprising performance of Independents backed by radical factions. 4. Human Interest "Two couples and a baby: Punjab drug addiction tragedy has new victims" (Nov 20, 2025): A tragic investigative piece about parents selling an infant to fund their addiction. "Kashmiri women artisans debut at Amritsar’s PITEX" (Dec 8, 2025): A feature on financial independence initiatives for rural women at the Punjab International Trade Expo. Signature Beat Kamaldeep is known for his nuanced understanding of border dynamics. His reporting often highlights the "drug crisis in the underprivileged localities" (like Muradpur in Tarn Taran, Nov 9, 2025), providing a voice to marginalized communities affected by addiction and administrative neglect. X (Twitter): @kamalsbrar ... Read More

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