Two Arrested In 328 Missing Sacred 'Saroops' Case, Claim Punjab Police

(MENAFN- IANS) Chandigarh, Jan 4 (IANS) In one of the most emotive issues, Punjab Police's Special Investigation Team (SIT), conducting the investigations of the 328 missing sacred 'saroops' of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, on Sunday said it has arrested two people.

The police conducted search operations at 14 locations and seized mobile devices, computers, incriminating financial records and documents.

A spokesperson for the SIT said here on Sunday that 16 people have been named in the First Information Report (FIR) registered in Amritsar.

Two accused have allegedly died, while 14 are under investigation.

Satinder Kohli and Kanwaljit Singh, alias Kawaljit Singh, have been arrested in this case so far. Both are former employees of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).

The spokesperson further said Kawaljit Singh was arrested on January 3.

He was working as an assistant and played a direct role in serious irregularities relating to maintenance, handling of religious scriptures, and unauthorised preparation or storage of scriptures.

The spokesperson added that search operations have been conducted at 14 locations in Punjab and Chandigarh, including two locations in Chandigarh and eight in Amritsar.

During the searches, seven mobile phones, three tablets, two laptops, one storage device and incriminating financial records and documents were seized.

The seized electronic devices will be analysed forensically, and the financial documents are under scrutiny as payments made by companies associated with several people, including politicians, are being checked.

The SIT has been conducting investigations and collecting evidence "systematically and meticulously". More searches and arrests are likely to take place.

Last week, the SIT arrested prime accused Satinder Kohli, a former chartered accountant with the SGPC, marking a significant step forward in the pursuit of accountability in the sensitive matter.

After the arrest, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) state chief spokesperson and MLA Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal emphasised that the investigation has entered a critical phase with concrete action on the ground.

Declaring it a long-awaited moment of justice for the Sikhs, Dhaliwal said, "Today is a very big achievement for Sikh 'sangats', one that they have been waiting for over the last four to five years.

Acting on the directions of the High Court, the SIT has arrested Satinder Singh Kohli from a hotel in Chandigarh.

Kohli is the main accused in the missing "saroops" case and was also serving as the chartered accountant with the SGPC at the time, he had said.

Recalling the prolonged fight for justice, Dhaliwal said Sikh "sangats" had been continuously mobilising for years, holding protests and demonstrations to demand accountability.

"For several years, Sikh sangats have been raising their voice and staging protests for justice in this case. A major mobilisation was also led under the leadership of the renowned 'kirtankar' Bhai Baldev Singh Wadala. This is the first arrest (of Satinder Kohli) in the case, and that too of the main accused, which makes it all the more significant," he said.

Reaffirming the government's commitment, Dhaliwal assured strict action against every person involved. "I want to assure the Sikh sangat that all 16 accused who are responsible for making the sacred saroops of Sri Guru Granth Sahib go missing will be arrested and sent behind bars. This is the firm commitment of the Punjab government, and no guilty person will be spared," he added.

The investigation has been initiated on the directions from the Punjab and Haryana High Court while hearing a petition related to the disappearance of 328 sacred 'saroops'.

"The High Court had directed an investigation into the matter, after which the Punjab Police registered an FIR against 16 individuals and constituted a Special Investigation Team to probe the case," another AAP spokesperson, Baltej Pannu, told the media.

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