NIA books Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, SFJ for threatening Air India flyers

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New Delhi, November 20

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday filed a case against designated terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannu and his banned organisation Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) for issuing threats to passengers flying Air India.

Pannu had recently issued a warning, urging Sikhs to avoid Air India flights on and after November 19, citing danger to their lives.

False narrative

• Threat is in line with narrative that Pannu has promoted in past by threatening and trying to disrupt essential transportation network systems, says NIA source
• Pannu recently issued a warning asking Sikhs to avoid Air India flights on and after November 19, citing danger to their lives

The NIA has booked Pannu under Sections 120B, 153A and 506 of the IPC, and 10, 13, 16, 17, 18, 18B and 20 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

The NIA said Pannu had been creating a false narrative around issues prevailing in Punjab, especially with regard to the Sikh religion, by promoting enmity between the Sikhs in the country and other communities. “The latest threat is in line with the same narrative which Pannu has actively promoted in the past by threatening and attempting to disrupt essential transportation network systems, including the Railways, as well as thermal power plants in India,” said an NIA source. On July 10, the Ministry of Home Affairs had banned the SFJ as an “unlawful association” under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for its activities. On July 1, 2020, Pannu was listed as an “individual terrorist” by the Centre.

Pannu has been under NIA lens since 2019.

In September, the NIA had confiscated his share of the house and land of the listed terrorist in Amritsar (Punjab) and Chandigarh.

Non-bailable arrest warrants were issued against Pannu by the NIA special court on February 3, 2021, and he was declared a ‘proclaimed offender’ on November 29 last year.