Giani Raghbir: Badal Family Patronizing Corrupt Elements in SGPC

Former Sri Akal Takht Sahib (Eternal Throne, AT) Jathedar (leader) and current Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) head granthi (reciter) Giani Raghbir Singh has accused the Badal family of 'patronizing corrupt elements in the Sikh body' and urged a Sarbat Khalsa (Khalsa plenary meet) be called to 'free SGPC'. Gaini Raghbir listed corruption in illegal sale of Gurdwara lands, sale of rations from community kitchens, frauds in building constructions, rentals of shops, subletting agricultural lands, offerings for prayers being increased, reinstating sacked employees with promotions, sale of Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh charter and scripture) tomes, and other spaces. Giani Raghbir claimed, during the Tarn Taran by-poll in Nov 2025 he was pressured to issue a statement that the edicts from AT in Dec 2024 were made under pressure from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its mother organization Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), but he refused to tell such a 'big lie.' Giani Raghbir was AT Jathedar when Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal was declared tankhaiya (guilty of religious misconduct). BJP has expressed gratitude to Giani Raghbir for ‘not yielding to pressure’ and refusing to say BJP and RSS had asked him to pass the edicts—a charge Badal had levelled against him. On 20 Feb, the SGPC executive gave Giani Raghbir a 72-hour ultimatum to provide written evidence supporting his corruption allegations against SGPC and the Badals. SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami stated that Giani Raghbir has defamed the institution and will face action if he fails to submit evidence within the stipulated time. Giani Raghbir responded that he had documents and evidence related to every point he has made to the media. He said, ‘My fight is not against any particular person but aims at maintaining the sanctity and transparency of religious institutions.’ Former AT Jathedar and SAD breakaway faction chief Giani Harpreet Singh backed Giani Raghbir on the issue of alleged corruption in the SGPC and said the Sikh body should have ordered a probe into it. He accused Badal of weakening Sikh institutions and misusing religious bodies for political gains and said Sikh institutions have steadily weakened since coming under Badal’s control (earlier coverage).