Two men get jail term for hoisting Khalistani flag on government building in Punjab: NIA

New Delhi: A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court has convicted and sentenced two men to imprisonment for hoisting a Khalistani flag on a government building in Punjab's Moga at the instigation of Sikhs for Justice general counsel and designated terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

The accused, identified as Inderjeet Singh and Jaspal Singh, residents of Moga, have been sentenced to five years and six months in jail, along with a fine of Rs 16,000 each, by the court at SAS Nagar in Mohali, a statement issued by the NIA said.

The NIA had earlier chargesheeted the duo, along with two other arrested accused, and two USA-based absconders -- Pannun and his associate Rana Singh alias Harpreet Singh.

Pannu and Harpreet, also a member of the SFJ, were declared proclaimed offenders in the case by the Mohali special court in 2021.

The case pertains to a 2020 incident in which Inderjeet and Jaspal hoisted a Khalistani flag at the deputy commissioner's office in Moga on August 14, a day ahead of the Independence Day celebrations.

The duo, acting on Pannun's instigation, entered the administrative complex of the deputy commissioner's office and climbed atop the building and hoisted a saffron-yellow coloured flag, with the word 'KHALISTAN' printed on it, the probe agency said.

They had also insulted the Indian national flag by cutting its rope, causing it to fall on the ground, and dragged the tricolour by the rope, it said.

Investigations in the case had revealed that Harpreet had paid Inderjeet and Jaspal to carry out these acts, the NIA said. Pannun had earlier, between 10th and 11th August 2020, uploaded a video on social media urging residents of Punjab and Haryana to hoist Khalistani flags.

He even announced a USD 125,000 reward for any Indian youth who would hoist a Khalistani flag at the Red Fort, and USD 2,500 for hoisting the flag at any government office, the NIA said.