Six SGPC ex-staffers get stay on arrest in missing ‘saroops’ case

Six former employees of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), held accountable for the alleged “disappearance” of 328 saroops of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, have received temporary relief after an Amritsar court granted them protection against arrest till December 18.

The Amritsar police had, on December 7, registered a case against 16 individuals, mostly former SGPC officials and staff, nearly five years after the matter first came to light.

Those granted interim relief include former SGPC deputy secretary Gurbachan Singh, former supervisor of publication Gurmukh Singh, former department in-charge Paramjit Singh, former secretary Manjit Singh, clerk Baaj Singh and helper Dalbir Singh. The court has also directed the police to produce records related to the case.

Confirming the development, Gurbachan Singh said they were being framed on flimsy grounds. “We had prayed in the court for anticipatory bail, but considering the facts, the court has given us relief against arrest till December 18. The bail plea shall be decided after production of police record,” he said.

The FIR was registered on the complaint of sacked Golden Temple hazuri raagi Bhai Baldev Singh Wadala, head of the Sikh Sadbhawna Dal, who, along with his supporters, staged a dharna at the Heritage Street near the Golden Temple, demanding action in the matter.

Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan had visited the dharna site, following which the Amritsar police registered the FIR.

Meanwhile, SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami termed the police action “undue government interference” in the administration of the Sikh body and an attempt to challenge the authority of the Akal Takht. He said the SGPC had already taken internal action against the erring employees, with services of most of them terminated on the basis of an inquiry report prepared by a panel headed by Telangana High Court lawyer Ishar Singh, appointed by the Akal Takht in 2020.