Amritsar, January 3, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Punjab Police to probe the case of 328 missing saroops (sacred copies) of Sri Guru Granth Sahib on Friday carried out extensive search operations at 15 locations across Punjab and Chandigarh.
Confirming the development, Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, Commissioner of Police, Amritsar, who is supervising the SIT’s functioning, said that the searches were conducted in Chandigarh, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Ropar and Tarn Taran districts. He said the operation is part of the ongoing investigation into one of the most sensitive and religiously significant cases in the state.
According to Bhullar, the searches are being conducted strictly on the basis of search warrants and under the supervision of gazetted and senior police officers. He disclosed that the locations include premises linked to Satinder Singh Kohli, former Chartered Accountant of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), in Chandigarh, as well as places connected to other former SGPC officials named in the FIR.
Police sources said the raids covered two locations in Chandigarh, while the remaining searches were spread across Amritsar (including rural areas), Gurdaspur, Ropar and Tarn Taran.
Kohli Arrested, in Police Custody
The searches come just two days after the arrest of Satinder Singh Kohli from Chandigarh. He was subsequently produced before a court in Amritsar, which remanded him to six days of police custody for further interrogation.
Kohli’s arrest marked the first arrest in the case registered on December 7, 2025, nearly five years after the issue of missing saroops first came to light. The FIR names 16 SGPC officials, ranging from senior functionaries to lower-level staff.
Background of the Case
The case originates from alleged mismanagement and discrepancies in record-keeping at the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Bhawan in Amritsar, the SGPC’s publishing unit where saroops are printed at Gurdwara Ramsar Sahib. In Sikh tradition, a saroop is revered as a living Guru and is accorded the highest sanctity. The controversy centres on issues related to printing, custody, allotment, sanctity, and maintenance of official records of the sacred scriptures.
The FIR was registered on a complaint filed by Bhai Baldev Singh Wadala, Chief of Sikh Sadbhawna Dal and former Hazuri Raagi of Harmandir Sahib. The case is based on an inquiry report prepared by a panel led by advocate Ishar Singh, constituted by the Akal Takht.
Following public protests and demands for action, the Punjab Government constituted an SIT, a move that has been criticised by both the SGPC and the Shiromani Akali Dal.
Senior officials said the investigation is progressing on multiple fronts and further action will be taken based on evidence collected during the searches.
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