New Delhi, Jan 4 (IANS): The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal has confirmed a notification issued by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) banning pro-Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun-led 'Sikhs for Justice (SFJ)' for a period of five years.

The UAPA Tribunal of Justice Anoop Kumar Mendiratta, a sitting judge of the Delhi High Court, ruled that the evidence given by the Centre established SFJ’s connections with Khalistani terror groups such as Babbar Khalsa International and Khalistan Tiger Force, as well as its collaboration with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to revive militancy in the Punjab.

It added that the evidence highlighted SFJ's involvement in recruiting and radicalizing youth using social media platforms, financing terrorism through smuggling networks to procure weapons and explosives, and issuing death threats to political figures, including the Prime Minister and the Home Minister.

In a notification issued on July 9, 2024, the MHA extended the declaration of SFJ as an unlawful association for another five years, saying that Pannun-led SFJ's activities have the "potential of disrupting peace, unity, and integrity of the country".

Thereafter, a reference was made to the UAPA Tribunal for the purpose of adjudicating whether or not there was sufficient cause for declaring the association unlawful.

According to the MHA, SFJ is involved in anti-national and subversive activities in Punjab, with the intention to disrupt the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India.

The MHA also said that SFJ is in "close touch with militant outfits and activists, and is supporting violent forms of extremism and militancy in Punjab and elsewhere to carve out a sovereign Khalistan out of the territory of Union of India".

The pro-Khalistani outfit "can escalate its subversive activities including attempts to carve out Khalistan Nation out of the territory of Union of India by destabilising the Government established by law", it added.