CHANDIGARH: The Punjab Police on Monday registered a case and arrested two individuals in connection with a WhatsApp group chat that allegedly expressed support for jailed Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh and detailed plans to target senior political leaders.Screenshots of the chat, which surfaced on social media, reportedly included discussions about attacking Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu, and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia, in response to the one-year extension of Amritpal’s detention under the National Security Act (NSA).A First Information Report (FIR) was registered at the Cyber Crime Police Station in Moga under Sections 61(2)(a), 113(3), 152, and 353 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and the Information Technology Act.The accused have been identified as Lakhdeep Singh Sardargarh from Bathinda, Balkar Singh from New Model Town, Khanna, and Pawandeep Singh from Khote, Moga. Of the three, Balkar and Pawandeep have been arrested.Deputy Inspector General of Police (Faridkot Range) Ashwani Kapoor said, “A case has been registered by Moga Police at the Cyber Station and two accused have been arrested. Other unidentified persons, once they are identified, will be arrested.”Sources claimed that the WhatsApp group, which has more than 600 members, reportedly discussed plans to strike and take revenge against Shah, Bittu, Majithia, and Parminder Singh Talwara, an aide to the late Deep Sidhu, founder of ‘Waris Punjab De’.The group blamed them for playing a key role in keeping Amritpal in jail. Screenshots and audio recordings from the group chat have been shared with security agencies. The discussions on this group allegedly took place in the background of the extension of Amritpal’s detention under the NSA.Police sources claim the group chat included discussions on foreign funding, arms procurement, and the circulation of inflammatory content online. They added that the leaked chats revealed some members of the group were willing to sacrifice their lives for the cause if their families were assured protection.”Now security agencies are reportedly investigating these threats, as there are fears of potential violence in the state. These kinds of threats are taken seriously, whether they appear in the public sphere or otherwise,” said a senior police officer on condition of anonymity.Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu alleged that some pro-Khalistan elements linked to the ‘Waris Punjab De’ outfit –- whose chief is radical preacher Amritpal Singh –- were plotting to assassinate him and other political leaders in Punjab.”The conspiracy has been exposed through leaked screenshots of a chat on social media platforms,” he claimed.Warning that the activities of such groups were pushing the state towards instability reminiscent of its dark past, Bittu said the central government has also taken serious note of the plot hatched by the leaders of ‘Waris Punjab De’.”The Centre will not allow anti-national forces to destabilise Punjab. My grandfather (Beant Singh) laid down his life for peace in Punjab. I come from a family of martyrs and I am not intimidated by extremist threats. I will not allow Punjab to descend into darkness again. Those behind this conspiracy will face the consequences,” he asserted.Bittu also criticised the AAP government for what he described as a “lenient stance” towards criminal elements masquerading as political activists.Meanwhile, senior SAD leader Majithia demanded the immediate arrest of all members of the WhatsApp group linked with the Akali Dal Waris Punjab De party and Amritpal who were planning the execution of high-profile politicians. He demanded a NIA probe into the matter.Majithia announced that he would forward all the evidence in his possession to the Centre, stating that the Punjab Police had become politicised and could not be trusted to investigate Amritpal and his associates.He also questioned why Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was silent on such a crucial matter. “Are the Punjab Police, which have all the evidence in their possession, and the Chief Minister waiting for someone to die?” he asked.Majithia also released details of the WhatsApp conversations on the Akali Dal Waris Punjab De Team Moga page, in which team members asserted that they were ready to become martyrs and asked if their families would be looked after in the event they carried out political assassinations of leaders including Ravneet Bittu, Bikram Singh Majithia, and Amit Shah. He also released an audio clip in which a woman is allegedly heard instigating members to become suicide bombers.The Punjab government has extended Amritpal’s detention by one more year. He is currently lodged in Central Jail at Dibrugarh in Assam. He was detained under the NSA after his arrest on 23 April 2023.Amritpal’s father, Tarsem Singh, on Sunday criticised the AAP government for extending his son’s detention under the NSA.Amritpal, who styled himself after slain Khalistani militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, was arrested in Rode village in Moga district on 23 April 2023, following a more than month-long manhunt.
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