Designated terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on January 16 gave a veiled threat to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and police chief Gaurav Yadav as he asked gangsters in the State to join the banned outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) and stop top political leaders from attending next week’s Republic Day parade.
In an email sent to some journalists and two videos accessed by PTI, Pannun compared Mr. Mann with former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, who was assassinated in a bomb blast on August 31, 1995. The blast, which claimed the lives of 17 others, was carried out by the banned terror group — Babbar Khalsa International.
Pannun also equated Mr. Yadav, the Director General of Punjab Police, to assassinated police officer Gobind Ram, who was killed in a bomb blast in 1990.
Punjab Police officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Pannun and his organisation have issued threats in the past as well and all necessary precautions have been taken to ensure "tight security" for all VIPs in the State.
In one of the purported videos of Pannun, he dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the Republic Day parade in New Delhi without security.
"I dare Modi, you come to Delhi without your security. If you are a popular leader, come to Delhi on R-Day without security and SFJ is going to avenge the assassination of Shaheed Nijjar by raising the Khalistan flag," he is heard saying in the video. Nijjar was killed by unidentified assailants at a gurdwara in Canada.
In another video, Pannun asked gangsters in Punjab to join the SFJ, participate in a referendum for Khalistan, and also prevent Mr. Mann from hoisting the national flag on Republic Day.
The email sent to journalists, however, deviated slightly from the videos where Pannun, besides giving a call to Punjab gangsters to join the SFJ, also asked them to get recognised as shaheeds (martyrs).
Pannun is designated as a terrorist by the Union Home Ministry under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Tightening its noose around U.S. and Canada-based "designated individual terrorist" Pannun, the NIA in September last year confiscated a house and land of the self-styled general counsel of the outlawed SFJ in Punjab's Amritsar and the Union Territory of Chandigarh.
The properties confiscated include 5.7 acres of agricultural land at Khankot village in Amritsar and a one-fourth share of a house in Chandigarh.
Pannun has been on the NIA's radar since 2019 when the anti-terror agency registered its first case against the terrorist, who has been playing a major role in promoting terror acts, and spreading fear in Punjab and elsewhere in the country through his threats and intimidation tactics.
Non-bailable warrants of arrest were issued against him by a special NIA court in 2021 and he was declared a "proclaimed offender" on November 29 last year.
"Investigations have revealed that Pannun's organisation, Sikhs for Justice, was misusing cyberspace to radicalise gullible youth and instigate them to undertake terrorist crimes and activities," an NIA spokesperson had said.
The official said the investigations have further revealed that Pannun was the main handler and controller of SFJ, which was declared an "unlawful association" by the Centre in 2019.
