Govt attaches properties of Pannu, Nijjar in Amritsar, Jalandhar under UAPA

Mukesh Ranjan
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, September 8

The government on Tuesday issued orders for attachment of immovable properties owned by designated terrorists Gurpatwant Singh Pannu and Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Amritsar and Jalandhar respectively.

A senior official in the anti-terror probe agency NIA said the orders for attachment of properties were issued in accordance with the “powers conferred under Section 51A of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967”.

In the orders, the government has identified the properties owned by the two terrorists. According to the orders, Pannu owns land parcels of 46 Kanal in Village Khankot and 11 Kanal, 13.5 Marlas in Sultanwind Suburban Bhainiwal of Amritsar District which have now been attached.

Nijjar-owned 11 Kanal 13 Marlas in Village Bhar, Singhpura, Pillaur of Jalandhar District have also been attached.

“The attachment orders have been issued as part of the NIA investigation into a concerted campaign launched by secessionist organisation ‘Sikhs for Justice’ (SFJ) under the banner of ‘Sikh Referendum 2020’ for creation of so called ‘Khalistan’,” the official said.

The NIA, during the investigation, had identified immovable properties belonging to Pannun in Amritsar and Nijjar in Jalandhar and moved the government for attachment of these properties under the provisions of the UA(P)Act, 1967, the official said.

According to NIA officials, banned outfit SFJ is headed by Pannun and is presently making efforts to propagate ‘Sikh Referendum-2020’ on social media. “The outfit is also trying to hold meetings at certain places in the US and other countries to instigate and mobilise diaspora for their illegal activities,” the N(IA official alleged.

Government of India has already declared Sikhs for Justice as an ‘Unlawful Association’ under the UA(P)A, 1967 vide its notification on July 10, 2019 and later on July 1, 2020, designated Pannun and Nijjar as ‘terrorist’ in the Fourth Schedule to the UA(P)A, 1967.