NIA confiscates properties of Sikhs for Justice founder, seizure notice on Nijjar house too

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday confiscated land and part of a house belonging to Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, the US-based founder and lawyer of the banned Sikhs for Justice, in Amritsar and Chandigarh.

Pannu, a Khalistan separatist who has been on the NIA’s radar since 2019, was designated an “individual terrorist” by the government on July 1, 2020. The SFJ was declared an “unlawful association” by the Centre on July 10, 2019.

In recent days, Pannu issued blatant threats to senior Indian diplomats and government functionaries in public forums, the NIA said in a statement. “He had also threatened Canadian Hindus a few days ago, asking them to leave Canada and claiming that they had adopted a ‘jingoistic approach’ by siding with India,” it said.

“Investigations have revealed that Sikhs for Justice was misusing cyberspace to radicalise gullible youth and instigate them to undertake terrorist crimes and activities,” it said, adding that Pannu was found to be the “main handler”.

“Pannu… has been actively exhorting Punjab-based gangsters and youth over the social media to fight for the cause of the independent state of Khalistan, challenging the sovereignty, integrity and security of the country,” the NIA said.

In February 2021, the Special NIA Court had issued non-bailable arrest warrants against Pannu, and he was declared a “proclaimed offender” last November.

According to the NIA, the properties confiscated include a 46-kanal (5.7 acres) agricultural land at Khankot village in Amritsar and a one-fourth share of a house in Chandigarh’s Sector 15/C area.

These properties were earlier attached following orders passed by the government in two different cases, the NIA said, adding that they have now been confiscated on the NIA Special Court’s orders under the relevant section of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in a case registered on April 5, 2020.

Meanwhile, the NIA has also issued a notice to seize the property of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, whose killing in Canada in June this year has triggered a diplomatic row between India and Canada. While Nijjar’s immediate family, originally from Bhar Singhpura (Phillaur) village in Jalandhar, is settled in Canada, he still has a house and land in the village.

The notice for seizure of property, pasted outside Nijjar’s locked house, was issued by the Special CBI Court in Mohali. It directs Nijjar’s family members/ representatives “to appear before the court regarding the application… filed by the NIA to confiscate immovable property belonging to Hardeep Singh Nijjar… on September 11”.

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/nia-confiscates-us-based-khalistan-leader-gurpatwant-pannus-properties-amritsar-chandigarh-8952828/