The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab has launched a sharp attack on the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), accusing it of attempting to shield influential individuals connected to the high-profile case of 328 missing sacred saroops (copies) of Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji. The allegations were made by the party's state media in-charge, Baltej Pannu, on Friday.
Allegations of Protection and Failed Transparency
Baltej Pannu countered the SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami's claim that the state government was interfering in Sikh affairs. He asserted that the entire Sikh community is aware that the matter reached a Special Investigation Team (SIT) solely due to the SGPC's failure to act transparently. Pannu detailed that a petition was filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which, upon disposing of the matter, directed the government to investigate. Acting on the court's order, an FIR was registered and an SIT was constituted to probe the disappearance.
Key Accused's Links and Financial Questions
Pannu pointed a finger at the arrested accused, Satinder Singh Kohli, revealing his professional connections. Kohli is a chartered accountant who worked not only for the SGPC but also handled the business affairs of the prominent Badal family. "This fact alone raises serious questions," Pannu emphasized. He further referenced a clarification by former Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh, who had ordered the recovery and deposit of 75% of the money paid to a firm linked to Kohli. Pannu alleged that the money has not been credited back to SGPC accounts to this day, with the committee claiming it took the issue to the Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission instead.
Conflict of Interest and Arrest Details
The AAP leader raised another contentious issue, alleging a clear conflict of interest in the legal proceedings. He claimed that the same advocate was representing the SGPC to recover the money while also defending Kohli, the named accused in the 328 saroops case. "Is this not a clear conflict of interest, or was this done deliberately?" Pannu questioned. Adding another layer to the mystery, he alleged that Kohli was arrested from a hotel room booked in the name of a journalist from a private channel owned by Sukhbir Singh Badal. "This raises a direct question: who is protecting this individual?" he asked.
Concluding his allegations, Baltej Pannu made an appeal to the SGPC to cooperate fully with the SIT investigation to ensure the truth emerges and justice is served in this sensitive religious matter.
