NIA confiscates properties of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, to grab Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s property

On Saturday (23 September), the National Investigation Agency (NIA) confiscated the properties of designated terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a Khalistani chief and authorized counsel of the proscribed terror outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ). NIA additionally began t he process to confiscate the property of khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was killed in Canada in June this yr. The actions had been taken on the orders of a CBI-NIA Special Court in Mohali.

NIA officers reached the property owned by Pannun at sector 15-C in Chandigarh and put up a discover of confiscation. The discover says, “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 general public.”

#WATCH | On the orders of the NIA courtroom, NIA officers pasted a property confiscation discover outdoors a home owned by banned Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) founder and designated terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, in Chandigarh. pic.twitter.com/Q2p59nrdlt

— ANI (@ANI) September 23, 2023

Apart from motion on Pannun, a particular CBI-cum-NIA Court in Mohali on Saturday (23 September) additionally pasted a property confiscation discover outdoors the home of slain Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in Bharsingh Pura village of Jalandhar district. The discover has been affixed outdoors the property following the orders of the NIA Mohali courtroom. 

The discover asks Hardeep Singh Nijjar to seem in courtroom relating to the applying filed by NIA on 11 September to confiscate his property in Jalandhar. The discover says, “Hardeep Singh Nijjar @ Nijjar Son of Piara Singh, Resident of Village Bharsinghpura, PS Phillaur, District Jalandhar, Punjab (To Be Served Upon him Personally or through his family members/ agent.) You are hereby directed to appear in this Court regarding the application U/S 33(5) of UA(P) Act filed by NIA to confiscate Immovable property belonging to Hardeep Singh Nijjar @ Nijjar on 11.09.2023 AT 10:00 A.M. Herein fall not.”

Punjab | On the orders of the NIA Mohali courtroom, a property confiscation discover has been pasted outdoors a home belonging to Khalistani chief Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in BharsinghPura village of Jalandhar district pic.twitter.com/eRPheA2bFA

— ANI (@ANI) September 23, 2023

An official launch mentioned that the NIA had approached a particular courtroom for the confiscation of the immovable properties belonging to Pannun underneath part 33(5) of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), 1967.

#LIVE: NIA confiscates properties of Sikhs For Justice chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun; Watch this and different high tales of this hour https://t.co/VsI2957faS

— News18 (@CNNnews18) September 23, 2023

Speaking with News18, an official mentioned, “Pannun is accused in case RC-19/2020/NIA/DLI dated 05.04.2020 under sections 120-B, 124-A, 153-A 153-B and 17, 18 and 19 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. The case relates to funding of terrorist activities in Punjab from abroad, creating disharmony among communities and radicalising youth for terrorist activities.” 

According to the data acquired, the confiscated properties of Pannun embrace agricultural land in Village Khankot, Amritsar, and a share of House Number 2033, Sector 15/C, Chandigarh.

Pannun has been declared as an “individual terrorist” underneath the UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Amendment Act) and is underneath the scanner of a number of companies who’ve filed instances towards him. 

Meanwhile, final yr, in October, Interpol returned India’s request which sought a Red Notice towards Pannun. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), liable for coordinating with Interpol on behalf of India, acquired the NIA’s request for a Red Notice towards Pannun, nevertheless it was despatched again with further queries.

Notably, the fear outfit SFJ was banned in 2019 underneath the provisions of Section 3(1) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 as it’s being operated by extremist and terrorist parts to hold out secessionist actions and blood-shed in India. The terror outfit has been operated by a number of radical Sikhs of international nationality within the US, Canada, the UK, and many others.  

Through an official notification on 10 July 2019, the Union authorities declared SFJ illegal affiliation and banned it for 5 years. The notification said that the group’s main goal was to determine an “independent and sovereign country” in Punjab. It added that the outfit brazenly espouses the reason for Khalistan and in that course of, challenges the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India.

The seizure of Pannun’s properties comes at a time when India-Canada is engaged in a diplomatic row over the alleged killing of a Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar with Ottawa accusing New Delhi of the identical.