National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken action to confiscate the properties belonging to Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the leader of the banned Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) outfit. This action has been carried out under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Chandigarh and Amritsar Properties Seized
The NIA has executed property seizures in both Chandigarh and Amritsar, targeting assets owned by Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. A property confiscation notice affixed outside Pannun’s residence in Sector 15 of Chandigarh declares, “1/4th share of house no. #2033 Sector 15-C, Chandigarh, owned by Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, a ‘proclaimed offender’ in NIA case RC- 19/2020/NIA/DLI, stands confiscated to the state under section 33(5) of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 1967 by orders of the NIA special court, SAS Nagar, Mohali, Punjab, Dated 14/09/2023. This is for information of the general public.”
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A similar notice has been posted on agricultural land owned by Gurpatwant Singh Pannu in his ancestral village, Khankot, located in Amritsar. The NIA has seized 46 kanals of agricultural land associated with Pannu, which is linked to a terrorism case registered in 2020.
Background on Gurpatwant Singh Pannun
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun is recognized as one of the founders of the US-based separatist group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ). He has been actively engaged in advocating for a separate Sikh state known as Khalistan in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
The Union Home Ministry designated Pannun as a terrorist in July 2020. Subsequently, the government ordered the attachment of his properties under Section 51A of the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Pannun has played a prominent role in promoting anti-India sentiments and has been instrumental in motivating Sikh youth in his home state of Punjab to embrace militancy.
Notably, he has been a key organizer of the Khalistan Referendum, encouraging Sikhs worldwide to participate in a vote on whether Punjab should attain independence as a religiously defined nation. Additionally, he had close ties with Canada-based Hardeep Singh Nijjar, whose murder has been a focal point of diplomatic tensions between Ottawa and New Delhi.
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