The National Investigation Agency's move to summon Baldev Singh Sirsa, who leads an organisation involved in the ongoing farmers' protests in the country, may be seen as an attempt to derail the protests. However, sources in the agency said Sirsa has been summoned as a ''witness'' in its case against the banned Khalistani outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ).
Sirsa, who has been asked to appear before NIA sleuths on December 17, is likely to be questioned about an alleged overground network of front organisations that could be helping the SFJ campaign.
The NIA has more names on its list of people who may be issued summons in the coming days. “After Sirsa, there could be others who can be called for questioning in the matter next week,” sources said. Whether the agency subsequently finds any evidence against Sirsa and others is a matter of investigation. Sirsa heads the Lok Bharati Insaf Welfare Society which is part of the group of farmers unions holding talks with the Centre.
Government sources claim that it has come to light that certain NGOs are involved in terror funding and in supporting the Khalistani movement, with the matter under investigation by the NIA and other agencies.
Sources said Sirsa and others will be asked to share any information on the ground as well as social media activities which are allegedly helping SFJ propagate sedition and disturb peace and harmony.
An NIA official said there is evidence that many individuals and organisations have been associated with SFJ activities directly or indirectly.
“These individuals could belong to different organisations and doing different work. Some could be farmers, journalists, cable television operators or other professions. But some of them have been assisting the SFJ activities alongside. We are only collecting information and questioning certain witnesses right now,'' said an official.
NIA officials said the summons to Sirsa is part of a longer investigation process and not a knee jerk reaction to the protests. “The agency has been probing the larger conspiracy by the Khalistani terror outfit and there is evidence of involvement of more organisations and persons. Whether anyone is an accused or not, will be decided after questioning. There is no link to the farmers' protests,” the official added.
Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, chief of the SFJ, as well as nine others, were among those named in the charge sheet filed by the NIA in December for carrying out a series of acts of violence and arson in Punjab in 2017-18, as well as online and on-ground campaigns in support of SFJ and Referendum 2020.
Notably, the NIA move to question Sirsa comes after intelligence agencies shared inputs with the government linking the farmers' movement to the threat posed by Khalistani terror outfits.