In a viral video Pannun had asked Sikhs to not fly by Air India planes on and after the said date, claiming threat to their lives if they did so.


The founder of the pro-Khalistan organization Sikhs For Justice, Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, was the subject of a case filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday due to his video threat against passengers traveling on Air India on November 19. In accordance with an official statement from the organization, Pannun has been charged under sections 10, 13, 16, 17, 18, 18B, and 20 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, as well as sections 120B, 153A, and 506 of the Indian Penal Code.

In a video that was made public on November 4, Pannun urged Sikhs to avoid flying near Air India aircraft on that day and beyond, stating that doing so would put their lives in danger.

In addition, he threatened to ban Air India from operating anywhere in the world. Security forces in Canada, India, and a few other nations where Air India operates have launched investigations and issued a high alert in response to Pannun's claims and threats, the agency stated.

Citing a possible threat to their lives, Pannun had urged Sikhs to cease flying on Air India aircraft on and after the specified date. The Indian government was also forewarned by him that "The Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) would remain closed on the 19th of November." NIA noted that one of the busiest airports in the world is IGIA, which is situated in New Delhi.

According to the NIA, Pannun has been inciting hatred between the Sikh population and other communities in the nation, creating a false narrative about the problems that exist in Punjab, particularly in relation to the Sikh religion.

The central agency continued, "Pannun has actively promoted the same narrative in the past by threatening and attempting to disrupt essential transportation network systems, including the Railways and Thermal Power Plants in India. The latest threat is in line with that narrative."

As a "unlawful association" under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), SFJ was prohibited from operating on July 10 by the home ministry. Pannun was classified by the Center as a "individual terrorist" on July 1, 2020.

Since 2019, when the anti-terror organization filed its first case against Pannun, he has been under NIA scrutiny.

The terrorist's share of the house and land in Amritsar, Punjab, and Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, were seized by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in September of this year. On February 3, 2021, the NIA special court issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Pannun, and on November 29, of the previous year, he was designated as a "Proclaimed Offender (PO)."