NEW DELHI: In a first under the amended UAPA act, the Centre has ordered the attachment of immovable properties of US-based Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) leader and designated terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
The Centre also ordered attachment of properties of another designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the Canada-based chief of Khalistan Tiger Force, under Section 51A of the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, officials said.
The order came on the plea of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) which is probing a concerted campaign launched by the secessionist organisation ‘Sikhs for Justice’ under the banner of ‘Sikh Referendum 2020’ for creation of so-called ‘Khalistan’.
According to an NIA official, the government has ordered for the attachment of the immovable properties of Pannun in Amritsar and Nijjar in Jalandhar and NIA will soon conclude the process of attaching properties of the two terrorists.
In July this year, Pannun and Nijjar were declared as designated terrorists under the provisions of the UAPA Act, along with seven other individuals. Both SFJ and Khalistan Tiger Force are separatist Khalistani outfits.
The NIA, during the course of investigation, had identified the immovable properties belonging to Pannun in Amritsar and Nijjar in Jalandhar, and moved the government for their attachment, the official said.
The properties to be attached include land, the NIA official said.
The SFJ, headed by Pannun, is presently making efforts to propagate ‘Sikh Referendum-2020’ on social media, the official said, adding that this outfit is also trying to hold meetings at certain places in the US and other countries to instigate and mobilise the diaspora for their illegal activities.
NIA starts process
Centre has ordered for attachment of immovable properties of Pannun in Amritsar and Nijjar in Jalandhar. The NIA will soon conclude the process of attaching properties of the two terrorists.