The Delhi Police on Tuesday arrested a man for allegedly painting pro-Khalistan graffiti in various parts of the city on the directions of SFJ founder Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
“Malak Singh, a resident of Kurukshetra, has been arrested for having plotted to paint pro-Khalistan graffiti at many places in the city, including the airport, on the day of the India-Australia 2023 ICC World Cup on Sunday,” Special Commissioner of Police H G S Dhaliwal said.
Pannun, the founder of the banned group Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), in his latest video had asked the community not to travel by Air India from November 19, and had also referred to the World Cup final match.
Multiple pro-Khalistan graffiti saying “DELHI BANAYAGA KHALISTAN SFJ” and “KHALISTAN ZINDABAD SFJ” were found sprayed on Yudhister Setu, Kashmere Gate in old Delhi on September 27. A video had also shortly surfaced where Pannun claimed ‘Khalistani Sikhs’ from Canada have reached Delhi to target Parliament House to avenge the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
“We suspect Malak was behind all these graffiti.” Dhaliwal said.
The officer said the accused was also involved in painting “KHALISTAN WELCOME G20 IN DELHI” in Kurukshetra in Haryana on April 5, adding that he also wrote “G20 PUNJAB IS NOT INDIA KHALISTAN REFERENDUM SFJ ZINDABAD” on a Kesari flag and hung the same near the HUDA City Centre in Gurugram.
According to police, Malak was born in village Talheri of Kurukshetra and had studied up to eighth grade. Since childhood, he was inclined towards the Khalistan ideology, and in 2018 began following SFJ videos and messages, they said.
Notably, the National Investigation Agency(NIA) on Monday said it has registered a case against Pannun over charges of attempt to disrupt the transportation sector in India.