Pannun, SFJ booked for sedition in Punjab for instigating people through automated calls

Punjab police on Friday booked Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and his banned pro-Khalistan outfit for sedition for making automated phone calls and instigating people against the curfew imposed by the state government to curb the spread of coronavirus.

Pannun and the US-based Sikhs for Justice have been booked under Section 124A of IPC, and Sections 10 (a) and 13 (1) of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act at the State Special Operations Cell, Mohali, said Director General of Police Dinkar Gupta in a statement.

Assistant Inspector General of State Special Operations Cell Varinder Pal Singh said Pannun was involved in advocating the secession of Punjab through pre-recorded audio messages to state residents in March and April.

Since the spread of coronavirus in India, Pannun, his associates and his organisation were found incessantly disseminating seditious content on social media.

Singh said in one audio message, sent from an international number of the north American region, Pannun alleged that the central government and the Punjab government were torturing the youth in the name of enforcing the curfew-lockdown.

The pre-recorded messages were aimed at pushing the secessionist agenda of Pannun's self-styled organisation, he said.

Last year, the SFJ was declared an 'Unlawful Association' by the central government after it was found involved in activities detrimental to the internal security and public order.