Farmers Movement Archive

NIA postpones examination of 2 members of Khalsa Aid

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has examined 12 persons so far in connection with a recent case registered against Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), a foreign-based group banned by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in 2019 for advocating secessionist and pro-Khalistani activities in India. The NIA had on January 15 summoned around 40 persons to be examined by the agency as ‘witness’ in the SFJ case registered on December 15, 2020. All the persons who received NIA notices have either participated in the ongoing farmers’ agitation at the Delhi borders or have provided humanitarian aid at the protest site. The examination by the NIA of two key members of Khalsa Aid, an international NGO, has been postponed indefinitely. “There was meant to be a hearing of two key Indian team members today and tomorrow [Monday and Tuesday], they [the NIA] postponed it. They were informed on phone that the hearing is postponed till further notice,” Ravinder Singh, founder of Khalsa Aid, said. The NGO had set up food stalls and provided foot massage machines and geysers to farmers protesting at Delhi border since November. Punjabi actor Deep Sidhu, who campaigned for the BJP’s Sunny Deol during the 2019 general elections, did not appear before the NIA on Sunday. Mr. Sidhu, who has been camping at the Singhu border for the past two months, said, “I have not received a single penny in my account or my family’s account from overseas or anybody in India or any NGO,” he said. “Even though the notice asks us to appear as a witness, they have kept it open under Section 120 B IPC [criminal conspiracy]. Tomorrow they might use this case to chargesheet us. I am a lawyer and I can see the pressure tactics,” he said.

The Hindu

2021-01-19

New Delhi