Chandigarh: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) of India has issued notices to various activists and relatives of some others in relation to a case registered under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
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Detailed Thread on NIA notices to persons connected with #FarmersProtests:-
1. Notices are issued u/s 160 Cr.P.C. to join investigation as witnesses in RC-40/NIA/DLI/2020.
2. This case is registered on 20 Dec 2020 against 3 named persons living abroad & connected with SFJ.
— ਪਰਮਜੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ || Parmjeet Singh (@iamparmjit) January 16, 2021
Documents available with the Sikh Siyasat News (SSN) show that the notices are issued under Criminal Procedure Code (Cr.PC) to join investigation as a witness in case FIR number RC-40/DLI/2020 (Copy of FIR below). This FIR is registered against Gurpatwant Singh Pannun of Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), Paramjit Singh Pamma (UK) and Hardeep Singh Nijjar (Canada).
3. SFJ’s Gurpatwant S. Pannun (US), Hardeep S. Nijjar (Canada) and Paramjit Singh Pamma (UK) & “UNKNOWN OTHERS” for collecting funds during rallies in foreign countries. (as per allegations in FIR).
— ਪਰਮਜੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ || Parmjeet Singh (@iamparmjit) January 16, 2021
Documents available with Sikh Siyasat News (SSN) show that notices have been issued to activists, persons engaged with charity organizations/NGOs and some reporters working for Sikh TV channels based abroad.
4. Notices are issued in bulk manner to farmers activists, persons related to NGOs & humanitarian aid bodies, farmers leaders, family members of some activists, reporters of abroad based Sikh tv channels.
— ਪਰਮਜੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ || Parmjeet Singh (@iamparmjit) January 16, 2021
5. Advo. Jaspal Singh @Manjhpur told @SikhSiyasat that more than a dozen people have individually contacted him after getting similar notices from NIA u/s 160 Cr.P.C. in related to case FIR no. RC-40/NIA/DLI/2020.
— ਪਰਮਜੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ || Parmjeet Singh (@iamparmjit) January 16, 2021
Actor turned activist Deep Sidhu has revealed in a TV interview with a Punjabi web-channel that similar notice is also sent to his brother.
A notice issued by NIA to an activist (personal details blackened for privacy reasons)
Talking to SSN, Advocate Jaspal Singh Manjhpur said that about a dozen people have contacted him after getting similar notices from NIA. He confirmed that all those notices were issued in relation to FIR number RC-40/DLI/2020.
6. Information available with @SikhSiyasat reveals that the number of persons who have received such notices is around 40. This number may increase as many more people are revealing that they have received such notices. pic.twitter.com/r4I5HRgErM
— ਪਰਮਜੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ || Parmjeet Singh (@iamparmjit) January 16, 2021
“These persons are not booked as accused by NIA in this case. The notices call named persons to join investigation as ‘witnesses’ under a provision of Cr.PC. which authorizes police or investigation agency to examine any person supposed to be acquainted with the facts and circumstances of the case”, said Advocate Jaspal Singh Manjhpur.
6. Information available with @SikhSiyasat reveals that the number of persons who have received such notices is around 40. This number may increase as many more people are revealing that they have received such notices. pic.twitter.com/r4I5HRgErM
— ਪਰਮਜੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ || Parmjeet Singh (@iamparmjit) January 16, 2021
Though this is not equivalent to booking anyone under the UAPA but it in given circumstances it seems that NIA is trying to use these notices as a harassment tactics as all the activists named in the notices are connected to ongoing farmers protests, in one way or the other.
Notices direct the named persons to appear at NIA headquarters on specified dates.