The Central Government on Tuesday ordered the attachment of immovable properties of “designated terrorists” Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Punjab under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

While Pannun is a US-based member of the banned ‘Sikhs for Justice’, Nijjar is the Canada-based chief of Khalistan Tiger Force. Both are separatist Khalistani outfits.

The decision came as the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had started investigating the case relating to a concerted campaign launched by secessionist organization under the banner of ‘Sikh Referendum 2020’ for creation of so-called ‘Khalistan’.

In exercise of powers conferred under Section 51A of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967, the Government ordered for the attachment of immovable properties of Pannun and Nijjar, who were declared as designated terrorists under the provisions of the UAPA Act, along with seven other individuals, in July this year.

A senior official in the anti-terror probe agency NIA said that the orders for attachment of properties were issued in accordance with the “powers conferred under Section 51A of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967”.

In the orders, the Government has identified the properties owned by the two designated terrorists. Pannu’s owned land parcels of 46 Kanal in Khankot village and 11 Kanal 13.5 Marlas in Sultanwind Suburban Bhainiwal of Amritsar district have been attached.

Similarly, 11 Kanal 13 Marlas in Bhar village, Singhpura, Phillaur of Jalandhar District, which is owned by Nijjar has been attached.

“The attachment orders have been issued as part of the NIA investigation into a concerted campaign launched by secessionist organization ‘Sikhs for Justice’ (SFJ) under the banner of ‘Sikh Referendum 2020’ for creation of so called ‘Khalistan’,” the official said.

The NIA during the course of investigation had identified immovable properties belonging to Pannun in Amritsar and Nijjar in Jalandhar and moved the Government for attachment of these properties under the provisions of the UA(P)Act, 1967, the official said.

According to NIA officials, banned outfit SFJ is headed by Pannun and is presently making efforts to propagate ‘Sikh Referendum-2020’ on social media. “The outfit is also trying to hold meetings at certain places in the US, and other countries to instigate and mobilize diaspora for their illegal activities,” the NIA official alleged.

Government of India has already declared Sikhs for Justice as an ‘Unlawful Association’ under the UA(P)A, 1967 vide its notification on July, 10, 2019, and later on July 1, 2020, designated Pannun and Nijjar as ‘terrorist’ in the Fourth Schedule to the UA(P)A, 1967.