- NIA books Pannun and SFJ for ₹11 crore bounty to stop PM Modi’s Independence Day flag hoisting
- FIR cites Pannun’s August 10 Lahore Press Club video address inciting secession
- Khalistan map shown covering Punjab, Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh
- Case filed under BNS 61(2) and UAPA for conspiracy against India’s sovereignty
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 24th Sept: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has registered a case against US-based Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and his banned outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) for announcing a reward of ₹11 crore to stop Prime Minister Narendra Modi from hoisting the national flag on Independence Day.
According to the FIR, Pannun made the provocative declaration during a ‘Meet the Press’ event at the Lahore Press Club in Pakistan on August 10, addressing the gathering via video link from the United States.
Officials said Pannun displayed a so-called “map of Khalistan” that included Punjab, Delhi, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh, and called for disrupting India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The SFJ further claimed to have formed a “martyr’s group” to fight against India, the FIR noted.
Acting on a directive from the Union Home Ministry, the NIA invoked BNS Section 61(2) (criminal conspiracy) and relevant provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
The ministry stated that the speech “primarily focussed on rejecting India’s sovereignty over Punjab and promoting Khalistan,” and emphasised the need to probe the wider conspiracy given its “national and international ramifications.”
