Centre attaches properties of designated terrorists Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, Hardeep Singh Nijjar; first under amended UAPA

In a major development, the central government on Tuesday ordered the attachment of properties of US-based Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) leader and designated terrorists Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and Hardeep Singh Nijjar; under Section 51A of the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

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NEW DELHI: In a major development, the central government on Tuesday (September 8, 2020) ordered the attachment of properties of US-based Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) leaders and designated terrorists Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and Hardeep Singh Nijjar under Section 51A of the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

This is possibly for the first time that the government has attached the property of designated terrorists under the UAPA since its amendment last year.

Pannun, along with eight other men, was designated a terrorist by the Union Home Ministry in July this year. Pannun has been running a campaign against India and motivating Sikh youngsters in his home state Punjab to join terrorism, the government said.

''Government of India in the exercise of powers conferred under Section 51A of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967, has ordered for attachment of the immovable properties of designated terrorists - Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in District Amritsar, Punjab and Hardeep Singh Nijjar in District Jalandhar, Punjab,'' the Home Ministry said in a release.

Govt. Orders Attachment of Immovable Properties of Designated Terrorists Gurpatwant Singh Pannu and Hardeep Singh Nijjar pic.twitter.com/7mOpa7UEkb

— NIA India (@NIA_India) September 8, 2020

The others designated as individual terrorists under UAPA include - Paramjit Singh of Babbar Khalsa International, Hardeep Singh Nijjar of Khalistan Tiger Force, Gurmit Singh Bagga of Khalistan Zindabad Force and Ranjeet Singh from the same outfit.

National Investigation Agency (NIA) is investigating case RC-02/2019/NIA/DLI relating to a concerted campaign launched by the secessionist organisation ‘Sikhs for Justice’ under the banner of ‘Sikh Referendum 2020’ for the creation of so-called ‘Khalistan’. NIA during the course of the investigation had identified immovable properties belonging to Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in District Amritsar, and Hardeep Singh Nijjar in District Jalandhar, and moved Government for attachment of these properties under the provisions of the UA(P)Act, 1967.

The details of properties attached by the Government of India are - A.  Gurpatwant Singh Pannu 46 Kanal Village-Khankot, Amritsar, Punjab'; 11 Kanal 13.5 Marlas Sultanwind Suburban Bhainiwal, Amritsar, Punjab; B. Hardeep Singh Nijjar 11 Kanal 13 Marlas Village-Bhar, Singhpura, Pillaur, Jalandhar (Punjab)

Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), headed by USA based terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, is presently making efforts to propagate ‘Sikh Referendum-2020’ on social media. 

This outfit is also trying to hold meetings at certain places in the U.S. and other countries to instigate and mobilize diaspora for their illegal activities. 

The government of India has already declared Sikhs for Justice as an ‘Unlawful Association’ under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 vide its notification dated 10.07.2019. Significantly, the Government of India, as per the notification dated 01/07/2020, has designated Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, and Hardeep Singh Nijjar as ‘terrorist’ in the Fourth Schedule to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.