NEW DELHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has registered a case in opposition to ‘listed particular person terrorist’ Gurpatwant Singh Pannun over his newest viral video threatening the passengers flying in Air India and the airways with a worldwide blockade and closure of its operations from November 19, the company stated on Monday.
The NIA has booked Pannun underneath numerous sections of Indian Penal Code and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. Pannun, the self-proclaimed General Counsel’ of the outlawed ‘Unlawful Association’, Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), is within the eye of the storm but once more following the discharge and circulation of video messages on numerous social media platforms urging the Sikhs to not fly on Air India planes on and after November 19 claiming menace to their lives in the event that they flew on Air India.
Pannun additionally threatened that Air India wouldn’t be allowed to function on this planet. Pannun’s assertions and threats have triggered a excessive alert in addition to investigations by safety forces in Canada, India and sure different nations the place Air India flies. In his video messages, launched on November 4, Pannun had urged Sikhs to cease flying on Air India planes on and after the stated date, citing a possible menace to their lives.
He additionally issued a warning to the Government of India that “The Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) would remain closed on the 19th of November.” IGIA, positioned in New Delhi, is likely one of the world’s busiest airports. As a part of his concerted plan to advertise terror acts in India to revive terrorism in India, Pannun has been making a false narrative across the points prevailing within the state of Punjab, particularly with regard to the Sikh faith, by selling enmity between the Sikhs within the nation and different communities.
The newest menace is consistent with the identical narrative, which Pannun has actively promoted prior to now by threatening and trying to disrupt important transportation community programs, together with the Railways, in addition to Thermal Power Plants in India. The Ministry of Home Affairs had, on July 10, 2019, banned SFJ as an ‘illegal affiliation’ underneath the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for its actions. On July 1, 2020, Pannun was listed as an ‘particular person terrorist’ by the Central authorities.
Pannun has been underneath the NIA lens since 2019 when the anti-terror company registered its first case in opposition to him. In September 2023, the NIA confiscated his share of the home and land of the lister terrorist in Amritsar (Punjab) and Chandigarh Union Territory. Non-bailable warrants of arrest have been issued in opposition to Pannun by the NIA Special Court on February 3, 2021, and he was declared a ‘Proclaimed Offender (PO)’ on November 29, 2022.
