Take Necessary Action Against Banned Organization 'Sikh for Justice', Directs Punjab & Haryana HC [Read Order]

The plea was disposed by a bench of Chief Justice Ravi Shanker Jha and Justice Arun Palli, after the Government assured that all necessary measures are being taken to prevent any kind of anti-national activities being undertaken by the organization.

The court was hearing a PIL filed by Advocate Bikramjit Singh Bajwa, who submitted that the organization had suddenly become very active furthering the cause of separate State for Sikhs i.e. Khalistan.

He submitted that the organization was going ahead with all kind of anti national activities and was also provoking the residents of the Punjab, especially the Sikh youths, to declare a war against the present Punjab Government.

However, the Additional Advocates General present for the states of Punjab and Haryana as well as the Additional Solicitor General appearing for the Union of India assured the court that steps are being taken to block the "proposed referendum" being taken by the organization.

They added intricacies of the steps being taken by them could not be disclosed however, "being sensitive and for security reasons."

In view of the above statements made by the Respondents, the court said,

"the petition filed by the petitioner is disposed of with a direction that necessary action be taken by the authorities. The information available with the petitioner may be analyzed and necessary steps for dealing with the threat perception be taken, if so required."

Further, based on the Petitioner's submission that the organization had been threatening him with "dire consequences", the Government assured,

"Let the petitioner bring all the facts to the notice of the police authorities and upon evaluating the threat perception to the petitioner, all possible steps, as are necessary, for securing the life and liberty of the petitioner shall be taken."

Sikh for Justice was banned by the Government of Punjab on July 10, 2019 and the head of the organization, namely, Gurpatwant Singh Pannu was declared as a "designated terrorist" by the Government of India on July 1, 2020.

As per the Government, 116 Whatsapp group relating to this organization have been blocked and as many as 16 FIRs have been registered against the organization.

Case Details:

Case Title: Bikramjit Singh Bajwa

Case No.: CWP PIL No. 70/2020 (O&M)

Quorum: Chief Justice Ravi Shanker Jha and Justice Arun Palli

Appearance: Petitioner in person; Addl. Advocate General PS Bajwa (for State of Punjab); Addl. Advocate General Deepak Balyan (for State of Haryana); ASG Satya Pal Jain with Standing Counsel Dheeraj Jain (for Union of India)

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