The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday confiscated land and part of a house belonging to Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannu in Amritsar and Chandigarh.

The official said that the agency has confiscated properties of Pannu which include 46 Kanal of agricultural property in the ancestral village Khankot, located on the outskirts of Amritsar district. The agency has also confiscated his residential property in the Sector 15 area of Chandigarh.

“Pannu has been on the NIA’s radar since 2019 when the anti-terror federal agency registered its first case against the terrorist, who has been playing a major role in promoting and commissioning terror acts and activities, and spreading fear and terror in Punjab and elsewhere in the country through his threats and intimidation tactics. Non-bailable warrants of arrest were issued against Pannu by the Special NIA Court on February 3, 2021 and he was declared a ‘Proclaimed Offender (PO)’ on November 29 last year,” the NIA said in a statement.

“Investigations have revealed that Pannu’s organisation, Sikhs for Justice, was misusing cyberspace to radicalise gullible youth and instigate them to undertake terrorist crimes and activities,” it added.

The NIA said the investigations have further revealed that Pannu was the main handler and controller of the SFJ, which was declared an “Unlawful Association” by the Centre on July 10, 2019.

“Pannu, who was declared a ‘designated individual terrorist’ on July 1, 2020, has been actively exhorting Punjab-based gangsters and youth over the social media to fight for the cause of the independent state of Khalistan, challenging the sovereignty, integrity and security of the country,” the NIA said.