SFJ handler Pannun promised $7000 to accused for defacing walls of Delhi Metro stations

New Delhi, Aug 31 (IANS) Two men were arrested from Punjab over charges for defacing walls at five Delhi Metro stations with pro-Khalistani messages, officials said on Thursday.

The accused identified as Pritpal Singh aka Kaka (30) and his associate Rajvinder alias Kale, who are associated with banned terror outfit SFJ, were promised $7,000 for the job by the SFJ handler, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

The walls at the Metro stations of the Shivaji Park, Madipur, Paschim Vihar, Udyog Nagar, and Maharaja Surajmal Stadium were defaced with the slogans 'Delhi Banega Khalistan' and 'Khalistan Zindabad'. A government school wall in Nangloi had also been defaced.

A video purportedly released by the banned organisation Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) displayed the vandalised Metro station walls.

In the video, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, spokesperson for SFJ, said: "During the G20 Summit in Delhi on September 10, we will be orchestrating a Khalistan referendum in Canada."

Special Commissioner of Police (special cell) H.G.S Dhaliwal said that the duo was arrested from Punjab on Wednesday, on the basis of CCTV footage of the incidents. 

Pritpal along with his associate Rajvinder was involved in painting pro-Khalistan graffiti on the walls of various Metro stations during the late evening hours of August 26.

"During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Pritpal came across a social media post about COVID patients. This post, presented as a helpline, was created by a pro-Khalistan/SFJ individual associated with SFJ handler Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. Using the given helpline, Pritpal provided his and his family members' names, receiving Rs 5,000 per name through Western Union," explained the Special CP.

At the start of 2022, he received a mobile number from Pannun through a social media platform, though the number wasn't on WhatsApp. He found the same number on the SIGNAL app, initiating communication with Pannun. 

“Initially sending greetings without response, after 10-15 days, Pritpal received a reply, leading to text and voice conversations on SIGNAL. Their discussions included topics like referendums and Pannun informing him about VVIP movements, said the Special CP.

"Gradually building Pannun's trust, Pannun sent him Rs 5,000 several times through Western Union. In June 2022, Pannun also sent Rs 90,000 for the treatment of Harjinder Singh (now deceased), Pritpal's uncle. The money was transferred via Western Union, with Pritpal using his uncle's Aadhaar card to receive it. He has received approximately Rs 2 lakh from Pannun thus far," the official revealed.

About a month ago, Pannun assigned him the task of painting pro-Khalistan slogans (graffiti) in Delhi prior to the G-20 summit.

"To accomplish this, he was offered $7,000. He received an advance of $3,500 from Pannun. According to the arrangement, the remaining $3,500 would be given after completing the task," explained the official.

Subsequently, Pritpal motivated his associate Rajvinder Kalu, who worked as a labourer in his office. Pritpal offered him half the payment, which he accepted. Following the plan, they bought paints from Barnala and travelled to Delhi from Bathinda via the Punjab Mail Train on August 25. 

"They arrived at New Delhi Railway Station early on August 26, conducted reconnaissance in various areas of Delhi until 3 p.m, and selected the Metro Stations in West Delhi for painting pro-Khalistan slogans," detailed the official.

"Later, they returned to Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, prayed until 5 p.m, and at around 7 p.m, they took a bus to Punjabi Bagh and disembarked near Shivaji Park Metro Station. There, they painted pro-Khalistan graffiti on the walls of Metro stations between Shivaji Park Metro Station and Maharaja Surajmal Stadium Metro,” said the official.

“Following this, they took an auto-rickshaw to Safdarjung Railway Station, from where they caught an early morning train, arriving in Bathinda on the morning of August 27," concluded the official