The Indian government has extended a five-year ban on the Khalistani organisation Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), with intelligence agencies reporting the group’s alleged involvement in separatist activities in Manipur, a state already embroiled in a complex ethnic conflict and political controversy.
According to a Home Ministry tribunal order published this week, intelligence agencies have submitted reports claiming that SFJ, led by Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, has been “inciting Muslims, Tamils and Christians from Manipur to secede from India”. Pannun was designated as a terrorist by India in July 2020.
A background note included in the order states: “Dividing people on communal lines by provoking minority communities against the other communities has become a major tool for SFJ to push up its anti-India agenda”. The intelligence report claims the group has been encouraging Christians in Manipur to advocate for a “separate country”, while simultaneously urging Tamils to raise flags of “Dravidstan” and promoting the concept of “Urduistan” among Muslim communities.
The organisation currently faces 104 cases across India under various laws, including the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The intelligence agencies also report that SFJ has allegedly planned activities targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval.
Meanwhile, in a separate development affecting Manipur’s political landscape, Truth Labs is set to release a forensic report on controversial audio recordings allegedly featuring Chief Minister N. Biren Singh. Advocate Prashant Bhushan informed the Supreme Court on January 28 that he had submitted the report in a sealed cover.
The audio recordings, which emerged in August 2024, allegedly capture Singh discussing the use of bombs and his interactions with Union Home Minister Amit Shah. In the 48-minute recording, Singh purportedly recounts Shah questioning him about deploying bombs, followed by claims that he continued their covert use after being instructed to stop.
The Manipur government has officially dismissed the recordings as “doctored” and warned of legal action against those involved in their dissemination. However, ten Kuki-Zo MLAs have called for Singh’s prosecution based on the audio’s contents.
These developments unfold against the backdrop of ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur, where clashes between the valley-dominant Meitei community and the Kuki tribes have resulted in over 250 deaths and the displacement of 60,000 people since May 2023. The Meiteis are predominantly Hindu, while the Kukis are primarily Christian.
Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in May 2024, alleged a plot “to carve out a Christian country, taking parts of Bangladesh (Chattogram) and Myanmar with a base in the Bay of Bengal”. Three months after making these claims, Hasina was ousted from power.
The Truth Labs report holds particular significance as the organisation, founded in 2007, is India’s first independent forensic science laboratory. Operating from six major cities, it has handled over 25,000 cases and maintains recognition from the Supreme Court and High Courts.
During Supreme Court proceedings in November 2024, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Central government, opposed a probe into the tape, asserting that it aimed to “keep the fire burning”. However, the Supreme Court, led by then Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, decided to examine the authenticity of the audio tapes.
The Truth Labs report remains in a sealed cover with the Supreme Court, following Advocate Prashant Bhushan’s submission on January 28. The court will hear the matter in its next scheduled session.
