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NIA court convicts two men in Moga Khalistan flag hoisting case; 2026 sentencing
A special NIA court in Mohali convicted Inderjeet Singh and Jaspal Singh for hoisting a Khalistani flag at a government building in Moga in 2020, sentencing them to five years and six months in prison with fines. The case ties to Gurpatwant Singh Pannun's alleged instigation and earlier proclamations of offenders related to SFJ activities.
Why It Matters
The ruling underscores ongoing legal action against Khalistani propaganda and acts of vandalism against state symbols, illustrating coordinated investigations and prosecutions tied to separatist movements.
Timeline
4 Events
Conviction and sentencing of Inderjeet Singh and Jaspal Singh (May 1, 2026)
May 1, 2026
A special National Investigation Agency court in SAS Nagar, Mohali, convicted Inderjeet Singh and Jaspal Singh and sentenced them to five years and six months in prison, along with a fine of ₹16,000 each, for the 2020 Khalistan flag hoisting at the Moga Deputy Commissioner's Office. The NIA noted the acts were carried out on Pannun's instigation; the case also involved two other arrested suspects and two USA-based absconders (Pannun and Rana Singh).
Proclaimed offenders declared in Mohali court (2021)
2021
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and Rana Singh alias Harpreet Singh, also associated with Sikhs for Justice, were declared proclaimed offenders in the case by the Mohali special court in 2021.
Khalistan flag hoisting at Moga deputy commissioner's office (Aug 14, 2020)
August 14, 2020
Inderjeet Singh and Jaspal Singh, residents of Moga, hoisted a saffron-yellow Khalistan flag on the deputy commissioner's office building in Moga, a day before Independence Day. They did so on the instigation of Sikhs for Justice general counsel Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. The duo cut the Indian national flag's rope, causing the tricolour to fall, and dragged it on the ground during the incident.
Pannun video urging Khalistani flags and rewards (Aug 2020)
August 11, 2020
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun uploaded a video on social media between August 10 and 11, 2020, urging residents of Punjab and Haryana to hoist Khalistani flags. He announced rewards, including USD 125,000 for a Khalistani flag at the Red Fort and USD 2,500 for hoisting a flag at any government office.