The National Investigation Agency (NIA) announced on Monday that it has filed a case against designated terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun for issuing threats against passengers flying with Air India and warning of the airline's potential closure of operations starting November 19. The case has been registered under the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
Pannun, who claims to be the general counsel of the banned organization Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), released video messages on November 4, urging Sikhs to refrain from flying on Air India planes after November 19 due to perceived threats to their safety. The messages were disseminated on various social media platforms, prompting heightened security measures and investigations by authorities in Canada, India, and other countries served by Air India.
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun has been on the radar of the NIA since 2019 when the anti-terror agency initially filed a case against him. In September, the NIA took action by seizing his share of a property in Amritsar, Punjab, and Chandigarh. A NIA Special Court issued non-bailable arrest warrants against Pannun on February 3, 2021, and he was declared a "Proclaimed Offender" on November 29 of the same year.
