Missing 'saroops' of Guru Granth Sahib: Punjab Police books 16 people

Chandigarh, Dec 7 (PTI) The Punjab Police on Sunday registered an FIR in Amritsar against 16 people, including SGPC’s former chief secretary, in connection with the disappearance of 328 ‘saroops’ (sacred copies) of the Guru Granth Sahib in 2020.

The FIR has been registered under sections 295 (injuring or defiling a place of worship or sacred object with intent to insult a religion), 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings), 409 (criminal breach of trust), 465 (forgery) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code at Division-C police station in Amritsar, according to an official statement.

The accused included Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC)'s former chief secretary Roop Singh and ex-secretary of Dharam Parchar Committee Manjit Singh.

The others against whom the case has been registered are Gurbachan Singh, Satinder Singh, Nishan Singh, Paramjit Singh, Gurmukh Singh, Jujhar Singh, Baaj Singh, Dalbir Singh, Kamaljit Singh, Kulwant Singh, Jaspreet Singh, Gurbachan Singh, Satinder Singh and Amarjit Singh.

The matter pertaining to missing 328 saroops of Guru Granth Sahib from the SGPC’s publication house in Amritsar came to light in June 2020, leading to a major controversy at that time.

It was alleged that it happened due to "misappropriation" by the SGPC staff.

An inquiry was also conducted by the Akal Takht-appointed panel into the matter, and several SGPC officials were found guilty of misconduct.

Meanwhile, Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan said that the state government will not tolerate any act of sacrilege. "Our government will not spare anybody who will commit this type of heinous crime." “Guru Sahib ji has guided us to protect all the religions across the globe,” he said.

Singer Bhai Baldev Singh Vadala commended the state government for getting an FIR registered against those who allegedly committed sacrilege of 328 saroops of Guru Granth Sahib.

Meanwhile, SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami strongly condemned the AAP government for what he termed as "open interference" in Sikh institutions.

His remarks came in response to the government’s alleged involvement in supporting certain groups staging a protest related to the issue of missing ‘saroops’.

Dhami alleged that the participation of government representatives in this long-standing matter and their attempts to issue directions are entirely politically driven.

He asserted that the Punjab government must abandon the illusion that it can run Sikh institutions according to its own wishes.

“Qaumi religious institutions belong solely to the Sikh community, and any attempt by the government to interfere will not be allowed to succeed,” he said.

Dhami emphasized that the Sikh Panth knows well how to safeguard the dignity and traditions of its religious institutions.

The SGPC president stated that the issue of the 328 sacred ‘saroops’, in which the government is making the "grave mistake of intervening", is purely an SGPC administrative matter.

In a statement, Dhami said the Akal Takht Sahib itself had conducted an inquiry into the matter, and departmental action was taken as per the findings and recommendations of that report.

The report clearly established that the case was not one of sacrilege, but rather a matter of financial misconduct by a few employees, the statement said.

He questioned the government’s political posture, saying that when all action has already been completed under the directives of the Akal Takht— the supreme authority for the Sikh community — the government has no right to interfere or politicize the issue.

The SGPC president warned the government to immediately stop interfering in Sikh affairs.

“If such actions affecting the sanctity of Sikh institutions and gurdwaras are not halted, the Punjab government alone will be responsible for the consequences,” he said.

He also appealed to the Jathedar of Akal Takht Sahib to take note of government interference in matters that have already been resolved as per Akal Takht’s decisions, so that the ‘Panthic’ traditions continue to be upheld. PTI CHS MPL KVK KVK