India's NIA files chargesheet against 16 Khalistanis based out of US, UK & Canada

India's National Investigation Agency(NIA) has filed a chargesheet against 16 Khalistanis based out of US, UK, and Canada accused in "concerted secessionist campaign under the banner of ‘Referendum 2020’ for creation of ‘Khalistan’."

The chargesheet was filed in "Referendum 2020/SFJ case under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 in a Delhi court on Wednesday.

The chargesheet has seven Khalistanis from US - Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, Avtar Singh Pannun, Harpreet Singh, Amardeep Singh Purewal, Harjaap Singh, Sarabjit Singh, S Himmat Singh , six from UK - Gurpreet Singh Baagi, Paramjit Singh, Sarabjit Singh Bannur, Kulwant Singh Mothada, Dupinderjit Singh, Kulwant Singh and three from Canada - J S Dhaliwal, Hardeep Singh Nijjar and Jatinder Singh Grewal

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All are members of Sikh for Justice (SFJ), a Khalistani group outlawed by the Indian government last year.

The group which has operations in countries like USA, Canada, the UK, Australia.

NIA in its release said it is a "frontal organization of Khalistan terrorist outfits operating from foreign soils including Pakistan."

The organization aims to form a separate Sikh homeland called "Khalistan" and have been campaigning via Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp, YouTube channels.

The release pointed out that the banned group aims to create "enmity on the grounds of region and religion, to radicalise impressionable youth, to cause disturbance to peace and harmony and to raise funds for terrorist activities."

Key members of SFJ include Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, Hardeep Singh Nijjar and Paramjit Singh who have already been declared "terrorist" under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.

In fact, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and Hardeep Singh Nijjar's properties in Punjab have been attached by India's Home Ministry.

The development comes at a time when SFJ has been leading protests in Canada, US and UK in front of Indian missions in the name of "solidarity" for the farmer protests in India.

Pamma was seen in front of the Indian high commission in London with a Khalistani flag during protests over the weekend.