New Delhi, 4 January 2025: The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal has upheld the Union Ministry of Home Affairs’ (MHA) decision to extend the ban on Gurpatwant Singh Pannun-led ‘pro-Khalistani’ group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) for another five years.
The tribunal, headed by Justice Anoop Kumar Mendiratta of the Delhi High Court, confirmed the ban based on evidence linking SFJ to terrorist organizations and anti-national activities.
The tribunal found SFJ’s connections with Khalistani outfits like Babbar Khalsa International and Khalistan Tiger Force, as well as its collaboration with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to revive militancy in Punjab. “The activities of SFJ have the potential to disrupt the peace, unity, and integrity of India,” the MHA stated in its notification dated July 9, 2024.
SFJ has been accused of using social media to recruit and radicalize youth, financing terrorism through smuggling networks, procuring weapons and explosives, and issuing threats to political leaders, including the Prime Minister and the Home Minister.
The MHA further stated that SFJ actively supports violent extremism to destabilize lawfully established governments, with the aim of carving out a sovereign Khalistan from Indian territory. “The group’s close connections with militant outfits pose a threat to the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the MHA added.
The notification noted SFJ’s intensified subversive activities, leading to the reference made to the tribunal, which confirmed the association’s classification as unlawful. The decision comes amid concerns over escalating attempts by SFJ and its affiliates to disrupt peace and stability in Punjab and beyond.
