Jagtar Singh Johal Gets Bail; Yet to Be Released

Citing the inordinate delay by the prosecution in producing verifiable evidence, the Delhi High Court (DHC) on 18 Sep granted bail to Jagtar Singh Johal, a British national from Scotland jailed for his alleged role in funding the militant group Khalistan Liberation Force, which had carried out targeted killings in Panjab. 39-year-old Jagtar was arrested in November 2017 when he arrived in Panjab to marry his fiancée. A question remains over whether he was arrested following a tip-off from British intelligence services. Jagtar’s trial was deferred numerous times. In March 2025, he was acquitted in one case, which the prosecution did not challenge. The latest verdict clears the way for his release from jail, after being incarcerated without bail for close to nine years. The seven National Investigation Agency (NIA) cases, lodged between 2017–19 in various divisions of Panjab, include terror law charges, offenses under the Arms Act, as well as murder. DHC found the acquittal of 'strong persuasive value', noting that 'on similar averments, (Jagtar) is being implicated' in seven NIA cases as a co-conspirator. Jagtar’s bail conditions require him to surrender his passport and not join any WhatsApp group or other social media platform where anti-national material is uploaded, circulated, or propagated. Justices Navin Chawla and Ravinder Dudeja noted, 'The pace of the trial has not really picked up' despite repeated Supreme Court of India orders. So far, only 40 of the 123 witnesses have been examined and recorded. Jagtar’s Scotland-based brother Gurpreet Singh Johal said, 'Now, all I can think about is Jagtar walking out of prison. We have waited so long and fought so hard for this moment.' Gurpreet had lobbied a succession of UK foreign secretaries, who have repeatedly admitted the case has dragged on too long but have been reluctant to call publicly for his release, saying they should not interfere in another country’s judiciary. The UN had recognized Jagtar's imprisonment as ‘arbitrary detention’. UK Member of Parliament (MP) for West Dunbartonshire, Douglas McAllister said, 'So relieved to hear this wonderful news this morning. As MP for West Dunbartonshire, I will continue to work with Jagtar’s family and team to push for his return home to Dumbarton, and his family where he belongs. We now need a swift conclusion to all his outstanding cases' (earlier coverage).

Amarjit Singh Chawla | Photo by NDTV

'Akal Takht' Expels SAD Leader & Granthi, Questions Arise on SGPC’s Role

On 20 Sep, Sri Akal Takht Sahib (Eternal Throne) expelled senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and Sikh apex management body Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) member Amarjit Singh Chawla from the Khalsa Panth (Sikh Collective) over rape charges against him. The Akal Takht also expelled granthi (reciter) Malkit Singh over charges leveled by the same woman that he had sent inappropriate messages to her. Announcing the decision, Akal Takht Jathedar (leader) Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj asked the Sikh community not to associate with him. However, he clarified that the allegations against Chawla and Malkit remain subject to the individuals proving their innocence. Earlier, a woman (name withheld) from Sangrur district, who had returned from Bahrain, had lodged a First Information Report (FIR) on 21 Aug against Chawla alleging rape, threats, and pressure. The woman claims she had met Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gargajj and SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami, who had asked her to file the FIR. The FIR records allegations of a series of incidents between 27 Feb–19 Aug 2026, including one at Bhai Bachittar Singh Yatri Niwas (Inn) in Anandpur Sahib. Giani Gargajj is also the Jathedar of Takht (Throne) Sri Kesgarh Sahib. According to the FIR, the complainant alleged that Chawla established contact with her, gave certain assurances, and subsequently engaged in conduct that she described as sexual exploitation. Chawla, who has since fled to Canada, resigned from his post as SGPC member and SAD senior vice-president, and denied the allegations, calling them false and fabricated. He alleged that a conspiracy had been hatched against him. The case has raised questions about the police, who did not arrest Chawla and allowed him to flee to Canada. It also raises questions about who allotted the woman a room in the inn, gave her a car, and two helpers for personal use. Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De) and Shiromani Akali Dal (Punar Surjeet, revival) are both targeting the Akal Takht and the SGPC. They ask if these institutions—funded by public contributions—were even aware that such activities were going on and if the Akal Takht decision was a move to cover up the case. Chawla has also rebutted the Akal Takht decision, asking why the Akal Takht is passing judgments when a case is pending in the courts. (earlier coverage).

Gurvinder Singh | Photo by India Travel Times

Sikh Truck Driver Attacked Days after US Poster; UK Driver’s Bus Stolen

Four days after the US Department of Homeland Security’s controversial reference to Mr. Singh in an immigration enforcement post, a 28-year-old Sikh truck driver, Gurvinder Singh, was attacked on 13 Sep at the Bitter Creek Rest Area along Interstate 80, Wyoming, the US. In the restroom area of the Rest Area, Gurvinder saw a stranger step behind him and slam a fist into his head; then he plunged a knife into his arms, chest, and rib cage. Gurvinder suffered 17 wounds and is recuperating. The stabber, Andrew Kris Bzdak, has been arrested and charged with attempted first-degree murder. Gurvinder said, 'A Hispanic family tried to attend to his wounds and seek help. They gave me a second life.' An advocacy group, American Sikh Council (ASC) has called for a full and transparent investigation and official accountability. Advocacy group Sikh Coalition's legal director Munmeeth Soni accused the administration of fueling violence, such as the stabbing, by using Sikh truck drivers as 'scapegoats for their campaign to remove immigrant drivers.' Meanwhile, in the UK, a Sikh bus driver (name withheld) was assaulted on 18 Sep, and his bus stolen. The driver was ejected from the bus during the assault. West Mercia Police said that after being stolen, the bus was driven along Park Way towards the High Street, Telford, Shropshire, traveling on the wrong side of the road and hitting several vehicles. Eyewitnesses at the scene recorded a video of the entire event and immediately called the police. Video footage of the incident shows the accused targeting the driver, who was wearing a turban, and attempting to pull him by his beard. The attacker has been identified as a 33-year-old Yemeni national, Ali Balhad, whom the police have arrested on suspicion of robbery and dangerous driving. Additionally, in Thailand, an elderly Sikh man (name withheld) was assaulted by a group of women at Bangla Road, Phuket. The video footage of the incident shows an argument and assault between the man and two women. The women can be seen hitting the older man, while one of them pulls off his turban. The reason for the attack is not clear, but the police and the Indian community intervened, and the women have since apologized (earlier coverage).

Drugs and Prison | Photo by Indian Express

Six Panjab Districts ‘Ultrasensitive’ Drug Zones, Supply Now From Other States

Zonal Director, Narcotics Control Bureau, Chandigarh, Amanjit Singh, and Additional Director General (Media), Ministry of Home Affairs, Raj Kumar, said that out of the 73 such districts in India, the union government has classified six districts in Panjab as 'ultrasensitive' drug zones. Five such districts—Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, and Fazilka—lie on the India-Pakistan International Border, and the sixth is Ludhiana, the state's industrial hub. Meanwhile, Panjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav has said since 1 Mar 2025, when Panjab launched Yudh Nashian Virudh (War Against Drugs), the police have registered 60,582 First Information Reports under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS), 1985, and have arrested 79,784 drug smugglers, including 708 involved in 354 commercial-scale cases. Yadav added, 'The Anti-Narcotics Task Force has elevated the conviction rate to 89%, setting a benchmark across India. As many as 13,430 NDPS cases have been decided, with convictions secured in 11,981 of them.' A Panjab police spokesperson said the pattern of drug smuggling in Panjab is changing as the availability of chitta (opioid, street heroin) has declined sharply. In contrast, pharmaceutical drugs are increasingly being smuggled into the state from other states. Around 80% of pharmaceutical narcotics available in Panjab come from Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi and present the latest challenge to the state police. Since 2025, 1.1M pharmaceutical tablets or capsules have been recovered from consignments from these states. In effect, Panjab's drug war is entering a new phase: the government says the Pakistan-border supply of heroin is being choked, but pharmaceutical drugs from neighboring states are now emerging as the next major front. Concurrently, the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) started a 13-day Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra (Drug Free Panjab Campaign) on 18 Sep. Before the campaign, Panjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann accused the BJP-led union government of 'defaming' Panjab over drug abuse and asked it to check drug supplies in Gujarat instead. A sideshow of the campaign was when, on 18 Sep, BJP leader Ravneet Singh Bittu alleged that Panjab’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party workers threw eggs on his cavalcade in Batala, Gurdaspur district. On 19 Sep, Bittu waved a liquor bottle at CM Mann’s cavalcade at the gates of the Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana (earlier coverage).

Panjab CM Bhagwant Mann | Photo by NDTV

Govt. Promises 8% Increase in Dearness Allowance; Power Woes Continue

Ending a prolonged standoff with state employees, the Panjab government on 18 Sep announced relief for around 800K employees and pensioners by increasing the Dearness Allowance (DA) by 8%. The decision followed a meeting in Chandigarh between Panjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and representatives of employees’ and pensioners' organizations. Punjab State Ministerial Services Union president Gurnam Singh Virk said the enhanced DA will be released from 1 Oct in two 4% installments and reflected in employees’ and pensioners’ bank accounts. The deadlock began 27 Aug when over 300K government employees went on a statewide strike by availing mass casual leave, pressing the state government to accept their various demands, including release of their pending 18% DA. In the 2022 Panjab Assembly elections, government employees were an important constituency for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Issues such as restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) formed a significant part of the party's pre-election pitch. After coming to power, the Mann government announced an in-principle decision to restore the OPS in October 2022 but did not implement it. CM Mann also announced compulsory monthly meetings with employee representatives to address genuine issues and postings for women employees within 40 kms of their homes because women employees should not have to choose between their career and their family responsibilities. He also said around 70K government jobs have been created. Bharatiya Janata Party National General Secretary and a Member of Parliament Tarun Chugh criticized the AAP government over the DA issue and said that while employees demanded an 18% hike, it has been raised by only 8% and is being projected as an 'achievement'. A substantial portion of Panjab’s revenues goes into meeting committed liabilities—salaries and wages, pensions, and interest payments—limiting the fiscal space for development spending. In 2026–27, committed liabilities of USD 9.5B are estimated to consume approximately 72% of the state government’s revenue receipts of USD 13.2B. Meanwhile, in another farmer protest over power outages, activists blocked roads in south Panjab. They reminded the AAP government of its promise to deliver eight hours of uninterrupted farm power. Farmers say that power outages last three to four hours a day, often in broken spells, while the crop needs standing water. Drying fields raise transplanting costs, increase land rent, and reduce investments in inputs. Diesel is the backup, and it is eating margins. The issue targets both the AAP government in Panjab and the BJP union government (earlier coverage).

Mandeep & Kulraj | Photo by Indian Express

Over 10 Cases of Kidnapping & Extortion of Illegal Emigrants in 11 Months

In the last 11 months, over ten cases of youth being promised jobs abroad, kidnapped midway, followed by extortion calls to family, and payments have emerged from Panjab. The young men were promised jobs in Spain, Australia, and South Korea, but were lured by different agents and taken via different routes, and ended up in Thailand, Iran, Ethiopia, and Kenya. All the families told police they received extortion calls from a certain 'Khan Baba'. The targets were from modest families and were working as drivers, barbers, petrol-pump workers, or daily-wage laborers. Their families say they had to borrow money or sell valuables to raise USD 1,500–7K to secure their release. Senior police officers said they were examining call recordings submitted by the families of the missing men, in which they were talking to Khan Baba to try and trace him, but have had few leads so far. Two recent cases involve 24-year-old Manpreet Singh from Gill village, Kapurthala district, and 27-year-old Kulraj Singh from Manak village, Jalandhar district. While Mandeep’s family managed to pay up and ensure his return home, Kulraj’s family could not arrange the full amount. Kulraj is now in jail in Thailand. In bothMandeep’s and Kulraj’s cases, a local agent, Sanjeev Kumar, helped facilitate their travel and has been named in a police complaint. Sanjeev admits making the arrangements but points out that he did not take any money. He blames Sumrit Kumar, originally from Phagwara but now based in Malaysia. According to Sanjeev, Sumrit arranged to send people to Europe, and he trusted him. Meanwhile, Canada has removed four more Panjabis in an immigration crackdown targeting foreign nationals allegedly linked to extortion networks, taking the total number of deportations under the drive to 111. The campaign has focused heavily on cases involving youth, including men of Panjabi origin, accused of links to criminal organizations targeting South Asian businesses and families in British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario. The latest cases involve Palwinder Singh, Jasmer Singh, Amitoz Bajwa, and Sahibjot Singh. All four were found inadmissible under Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act on grounds linked to organized or serious criminality, according to the Canada Border Services Agency. Concurrently, Panjab police have taken custody of a close associate of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, Karamveer Singh, following his deportation from Canada. Karamveer Singh is a resident of Bahadur Ke village, Ludhiana district (earlier coverage).

Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj and group praying at Dera Baba Nanak

'Takht Sri Hazur Sahib' Marks Modi Birthday; Prayers for Reopening KSC Stopped

A special Ardas (prayers) offered at Takht (Throne) Sri Hazur Sahib, Nanded, Maharashtra on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 76^th birthday is being presented as a religious gesture, but its timing and political backdrop have opened a wider debate on the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) evolving engagement with Sikh institutions and the Sikh community. Administrator of Takht Sri Hazur Sahib Board, Dr. Vijay Satbir Singh, said the special Ardas sought divine blessings for the PM’s long life, good health, and continued service to the nation. However, former general secretary of the apex Sikh management committee Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), Bibi Kiranjot Kaur, believes that the symbolism of conducting a special Ardas for the PM at one of Sikh religion’s five Takhts cannot be viewed in isolation. She said, 'Cultivating relationships with Sikh religious institutions, especially through the Sikh Takhts, carries immense weight in Sikh politics. There is no harm in conducting Ardas for a person belonging to another faith. However, this event appears to be part of a larger outreach effort as BJP seeks to establish its own political footing in Panjab ahead of the Assembly election.' In June 2026, Sikh organizations mounted protests after the Maharashtra Cabinet approved a proposal to repeal the 70-year-old Nanded Sikh Gurdwara Sachkhand Sri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib Act, 1956, and replace it with a new law. Meanwhile, BJP leader and Member of Parliament Satnam Singh Sandhu led members of Sant Samaj (sects) and Nihangs (traditional warriors) in prayers on PM Modi's birthday, marking his 25 years in public service at Gurdwara Chevein Patshahi, Amritsar. The BJP tries to woo Sikhs symbolically but does not succeed on the ground. For example, the BJP opened the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor (KSC) in 2019, closed and reopened it during the COVID pandemic, but again closed it in May 2025 after Operation Sindoor—the army action against Pakistan. Repeated requests by Sikhs to open the KSC have been ignored, including on 21 Sep when Sri Akal Takht Sahib (Eternal Throne) Jathedar (leader) Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj was stopped well before the zero line on the India-Pakistan border from offering prayers to open the KSC. After being stopped, Giani Gargajj sat down in front of the Darshan Sthal (viewing point) and began reciting prayers (earlier coverage).

Anya Vats & Yuvraj Singh Manchanda

Realtor Killed in Gurugram & ASI in Amritsar; Shooting Outside Singer’s Home

A manager with Adani Realty in Gurugram, Haryana, 31-year-old Yuvraj Singh Manchanda, has been missing since 6 Sep. He was last seen leaving a family shopping trip in Lajpat Nagar, New Delhi, telling his sisters he had a meeting in Gurugram and would be home by 10 pm. He never returned. On 10 Sep, Gurugram police recovered a decomposed body from the Sector 70 sewer. Officers at Badshahpur Police Station, Gurugram, registered a case of unidentified death and sent the body for a post-mortem examination. Four days later, on 14 Sep, the body was cremated. On 16 Sep, two days after the cremation, Yuvraj's family was contacted and asked to identify him from photographs and his belongings. Twice, Yuvraj's family received messages from him on the mobile phone: ‘I'm fine, don't worry...my phone might get switched off’. Then the phone was switched off. Police have arrested the suspects—Yuvraj's former colleague, Anya Vats, and her husband, Sanyam Sachdeva. Police suspect a financial dispute as the motive. Yuvraj and the couple had previously worked together at a real estate company. Anya was fired for financial irregularities. Meanwhile, an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) of Panjab Police, Harjit Singh, a resident of Tarn Taran, was chased and shot dead by two men on a motorcycle at the Bhagtanwala grain market, Amritsar, on 18 Sep. Panjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said, 'Harjit was shadowed by assailants on a two-wheeler, and the shooting was carried out at close range using a .30 bore pistol.' On 20 Sep, the police killed one of the two accused, Deepak Singh. The other accused escaped. Deepak was a resident of Mulchak locality, Amritsar. A few days back, a Pakistan-based terror outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Hindustan had claimed an attack on another ASI in Amritsar which proved unsuccessful. Investigators are probing Deepak’s links with the outfit. Furthermore, multiple shots were fired outside the residence of singer Gulab Sidhu in Pharwahi village, Barnala district, on 13 Sep. Sidhu was in Australia for his shows, while his family was home when the shots were fired. No one was injured. Barnala Senior Superintendent of Police Mohammad Sarfaraz Alam said, 'At least six rounds were fired. Three suspects on a motorcycle have been captured in the CCTV footage. Other details are being verified' (earlier coverage).

US President Donald Trump | Photo by The Hindu

US President Wins Vote to Push 100% Tariff on India

US President Donald Trump signed into law the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, 2026, on 18 Sep, giving himself the authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on countries, including India and China, that continue buying Russian oil and gas. The White House said in a statement, ‘The law authorizes and expands statutory sanctions, tariffs, and prohibitions on Russia and extends existing sanctions on Iran.' The US Trade Representative, the federal agency responsible for developing and recommending US trade policy to the President, said in a social media post that the signing of the bill 'demonstrates the growing bipartisan recognition that tariffs are an effective tool to safeguard our economic and national security and establish lasting peace and prosperity'. The move came after the US House of Representatives on 16 Sep passed the sweeping sanctions legislation, aimed at cutting Russia’s revenues from oil and gas exports and increasing economic pressure on Moscow over the war in Ukraine. The development is significant for India,the world’s third-largest importer of crude, which depends on imports to meet over 88% of its crude oil needs. Russia currently accounts for nearly half of these imports. According to data from the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell, even without these proposed sanctions, India’s crude oil import bill surged 48% to USD 74.8B during the April–August period on higher global prices even as volumes remained largely unchanged. Before President Trump signed the Bill, India’s Ministry of External Affairs said it 'remains firmly committed to ensuring energy security for its 1.4B people.' India's opposition party Indian National Congress (INC), said the only way to counter a 'bully' was to 'resist him forcefully'. INC president Mallikarjun Kharge said the tariff showed the government’s foreign and trade policies had 'miserably failed'. If the US President imposes tariffs on India, rising prices of petrol, diesel, and gas will affect all sectors, especially micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), which account for as much as 45% of India's total exports. Panjab, an agrarian state, is already suffering from high diesel and fertilizer rates. A further hike in prices may crash the agrarian sector. The possibility of high tariffs also fuels fears about what the India-US Trade Agreement would look like, a warning Panjab’s farmers have been issuing for months (earlier coverage).

A soldier of the Sikh Regiment | Photo by The Tribune

10.

Recruitment to Sikh Regiment Improves

Recruitment to the Sikh Regiment has improved after the Indian Army intensified efforts to attract youth from Panjab to the regiment, which has a long history of gallantry and military honors. Recruitment declined after the Agnipath (short service) scheme was introduced in 2022 and as many young people from Panjab migrated to countries such as Canada, US, UK, and Australia for higher studies and jobs. To encourage recruitment, the Sikh Regiment launched an outreach campaign with the slogan, 'Come, join the Army. Come, join the Sikh Regiment'. The campaign aimed to revive the regiment's legacy of valor among Panjab's youth. Around 8K vacancies are released annually for recruitment from the state, though the intake varies depending on retirements and discharges. A senior Army officer said, ‘In 2024–25, only about 30% of the vacancies meant for the regiment could be filled. In 2025–26, this went up to about 70%.’ These vacancies included unfilled vacancies from previous years. Recruitment teams visited villages, interacted with sarpanches (village council heads) and local residents, and motivated eligible candidates to join the regiment. A senior Army officer from the Sikh Regiment said several factors contributed to the decline, including negative perceptions about the Agnipath scheme, concerns over employment after four years of service, the growing trend of overseas migration, drug abuse, gangsterism, and many candidates failing to meet the Army's physical standards. Army officials said they discussed recruitment from Panjab and post-discharge employment opportunities for Agniveers (those who serve the short service scheme) with Panjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. The Sikh Regiment, one of the Army's most decorated regiments, dates back to August 1846. Since India’s independence in 1947, the regiment has received two Param Vir Chakras (highest gallantry decoration), eight Mahaveer Chakras (second-highest military decoration), four Ashok Chakras (peacetime decoration), 75 Battle Honours, and 38 Theatre Honours. The Sikh Regiment, Sikh Light Infantry, and Punjab Regiment, each with about 20 regular battalions, along with several Rashtriya Rifles and Territorial Army battalions, recruit from Panjab. Districts such as Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala, Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Amritsar, and Tarn Taran have traditionally contributed large numbers of soldiers to the Army (earlier coverage).

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Notes

Updates

IN: On suspended Panjab Police DIG Bhullar's bail plea, Supreme Court of India says, ‘100% case of dismissal’ (earlier coverage).
CAN: Two Ontario Gurdwaras face lawsuit over CAD 13M in loans linked to former Liberal MP Raj Grewal.
US: Balbir Singh Sodhi’s 25^th anniversary vigil invites people to reflect on his legacy (earlier coverage).

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Jagtar Singh Johal Gets Bail; Yet to Be Released