No protesting farmer referred to as for questioning by NIA: Centre

The Centre Wednesday knowledgeable Rajya Sabha that no farmer taking part within the ongoing farmers’ protests has been referred to as for questioning by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
In a written reply to a query on “whether the NIA summoned farmers participating in the ongoing farmers’ protests”, Union Minister of State (MoS), Home, G Kishan Reddy stated, “No, sir.”

The authorities had additionally been requested whether or not these farmers had been summoned as witnesses or whether or not they had been charged with any crime. To this, Reddy stated these questions don’t come up since nobody was referred to as.
Last month, whereas the protests at Delhi’s borders continued and the federal government was nonetheless holding talks with farmers, the NIA summoned round 40 folks, stated to be related to the farmers’ protests indirectly, for questioning in reference to a case of terror funding. The NIA investigations targeted on funds allegedly funnelled by banned pro-Khalistan organisation Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) into India for terror actions and mass demonstrations in opposition to the federal government.
Among the primary few folks to be summoned was Baldev Singh Sirsa, the president of Lok Bhalai Insaf Welfare Society (LBIWS), which is likely one of the unions taking part in talks with the federal government over the brand new farm legal guidelines.
The Indian Express on January 19 reported that amongst these summoned by the company had been farmers, shopkeepers, activists, businessmen and journalists from Punjab and Haryana.
Some of these summoned included Jasbir Singh Rode, a former Akal Takht Jathedar and nephew of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale; Balwinder Pal Singh, a author from Jalandhar who writes on Sikh and Dalit points; Jasveer Singh of Muktsar and Tajinder Singh of Amritsar, each journalists with tv channels Ok TV and Akal Channel; Winner Singh, a contract journalist from Ambala; Palwinder Singh, Parmjit Singh Akali, and Pardeep Singh—committee members of Sikh Youth Power of Punjab (SYPOP) and Rishamjit Gabha and Naresh, two businessmen from Ludhiana amongst others.

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The NIA, which is investigating a number of circumstances in opposition to SFJ, registered a recent case in opposition to the proscribed organisation on December 15, 2020. The FIR stated SFJ was sending overseas funds by means of NGOs to “pro-Khalistani” components for “on-ground campaign and propaganda against Government of India”.
A verification of all of the summons by The Indian Express had discovered that these summoned by the NIA within the case had been united by their affiliation, indirectly or the opposite, with the farmers’ protest in opposition to the three farm legal guidelines on the borders of Delhi. Most of them had been both related to organising langar or different logistics on the protest websites or offering transportation aside from some who had offered funds for the protests to maintain.
Home Ministry sources stated all those that have been summoned have lately obtained funds from overseas from sources that seem doubtful. “At this moment none of those who are being summoned are accused or suspects. But if they are in receipt of foreign funds, the agency has all the right to ask what these funds are meant for,” a Ministry official stated.

“We have no quarrel with funds being collected to support farmers’ protests. But there is suspicion that some of these funds collected in the name of farmers have been diverted by certain vested interests to fund secessionist activities of the SFJ. That part needs investigation,” the official stated.