The Delhi Police Special Cell recently made a significant arrest linked to pro-Khalistan graffiti that appeared on the ISBT flyover walls in September. The arrested individual, identified as Malak Singh alias Malik, aged 38, was apprehended from Kurukshetra in Haryana. Investigations revealed his association with the banned SFJ (Sikh For Justice) founder Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who allegedly offered him money to carry out these acts.
Singh's arrest played a pivotal role in averting potential untoward incidents during the final match of the ICC Cricket World Cup on November 19. He had been instructed by Pannun to paint pro-Khalistan slogans at various locations, including Delhi Airport, on that day.
The pro-Khalistan graffiti, featuring slogans like “Delhi banayaga Khalistan SFJ” and “Khalistan Zindabad,” had surfaced under and over Yudhister Setu, Kashmere Gate, Delhi, on September 27. Pannun, in an online video, had purportedly indicated the arrival of Khalistani Sikhs from Canada in Delhi, targeting Parliament House to avenge the assassination of Nijjar, while highlighting the graffiti incidents.
Special Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) HGS Dhaliwal stated that specific intelligence regarding Singh's involvement in painting pro-Khalistan graffiti led to his arrest. Singh had reportedly engaged in similar activities in Haryana before the G-20 Summit.
A meticulous investigation involving surveillance, CCTV footage analysis, and informer deployment ultimately led to Singh's identification and arrest in Kurukshetra on November 19.
During interrogation, Singh disclosed his long-standing inclination toward Khalistan ideology, tracing back to his childhood. His interactions during the farmers' agitation in 2020 and subsequent contact with SFJ sympathizers led him to connect with Pannun and engage in discussions about the Khalistan movement and Referendum 2020.
Singh executed several instances of painting pro-Khalistan slogans, including at Kurukshetra Railway Station and Ismailabad, Kurukshetra, preceding the G-20 Summit. His planned action at Delhi Airport and other government buildings on November 19 was thwarted by his arrest, preventing potential unrest aligned with Pannun's directives.
The investigation, aided by insights from Singh's seized mobile phones, revealed Pannun's instructions to avoid Air India flights on November 19, coinciding with the ICC Cricket World Cup final, aligning with Pannun's recent videos.
The timely apprehension of Singh prevented the intended acts and highlighted the Delhi Police's proactive measures in averting potential disruptions linked to pro-Khalistan activities.
(With Agency Inputs)
