Chandigarh, October 2, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab media in-charge Baltej Pannu on Friday raised questions over the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and Akali Dal leadership’s response to allegations concerning a woman from Bahrain who reportedly stayed at sarais in Sri Anandpur Sahib and Amritsar for several months.
Addressing a press conference, Pannu questioned the alleged eight-month stay of the woman at an SGPC sarai, the financial transactions linked to the matter and the leadership’s handling of the controversy. He called on the SGPC and Akali Dal to clarify the circumstances surrounding the case and provide answers to the Sikh Sangat and the people of Punjab.
“The silence of the SGPC and Akali Dal leadership over this entire episode for the past several days raises several serious questions. Why is the truth being hidden from the Sikh Sangat and Punjabis?” Pannu said.
He alleged that financial irregularities had taken place in connection with the matter and claimed that money had been collected from various party office-bearers. Pannu questioned SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami over the details of the alleged transactions, including the amount transferred, the source of the funds, the recipients and the accounting of the money.
Pannu also referred to an audio clip purportedly involving senior Akali Dal leader Virsa Singh Valtoha and the woman who has lodged a complaint. He claimed that the conversation raised serious questions about the woman’s treatment and her prolonged stay at the sarai.
“There are extremely serious allegations against SGPC member and senior vice president of the Akali Dal Amarjit Singh Chawla of harassing the woman by keeping her in the sarai for eight months,” Pannu alleged.
He questioned how a single woman was permitted to stay in a sarai for such an extended period and whether the arrangement was consistent with SGPC rules.
“How was a single woman given a room in the sarai for so many months while flouting SGPC rules? Can such acts be permitted at that sacred religious place? Who allowed this arrangement to continue for eight months?” he asked.
Pannu also criticised leaders whom he accused of questioning the woman’s character on social media and television channels. He said those raising such questions should explain why the woman was brought to the sarai and allowed to stay there if they were already aware of the circumstances.
He specifically questioned Virsa Singh Valtoha over remarks allegedly made about the complainant and called for clarification about the circumstances in which she had been brought to the religious premises.
Pannu further raised questions about a person identified as Jhinjer, asking why a ticket had allegedly been booked for the woman and at whose direction the arrangements were made. He said the leaders involved should clarify what they knew about the matter and why the woman was permitted to remain at the sarai for several months.
Criticising the inquiry committee formed by SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami, Pannu described it as a “committee of juniors” and questioned whether its members would be able to examine the conduct of senior leaders.
He also accused some leaders of engaging in character assassination on social media, referring to what he described as similar conduct towards Giani Harpreet Singh and his children.
Pannu questioned the demand for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe, arguing that the leaders concerned should cooperate with the ongoing Punjab Police investigation.
“Instead of cooperating with the Punjab Police investigation, they are demanding a CBI probe. The question is, who is being saved? If the intentions were clear, why was the investigation not entrusted to a former Sikh judge or a former Sikh IPS officer?” he asked.
Referring to Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal, Pannu described him as the “Chief Custodian” of the SGPC and said the issue could not be resolved by allowing public attention to fade or attempting to suppress the controversy.
He said Sikh intellectuals and young members of the Sikh community across the world were seeking answers from the SGPC leadership.
Pannu also challenged Dhami to make public the records of alleged scams and irregularities that he claimed were in the SGPC president’s possession.
“Dhami Sahib, you have a big bag full of files lying with you, so open it and take a look. It contains the entire record of scams and acts. If those things come out, you will then say that institutions are being defamed,” Pannu said.
Emphasising the significance of the religious site, Pannu said devotees visited the sacred land to pay their respects and that the SGPC leadership had a responsibility to explain the circumstances surrounding the woman’s stay.
“The Sikh Sangat has the right to know what happened, who brought the woman there, who arranged her stay and why she remained there for such a long period,” he said.
Pannu maintained that the SGPC and Akali Dal leadership should respond to the questions being raised by the Sikh community and the people of Punjab rather than attempting to suppress the issue.
He warned that continued demands for accountability from the Sikh community would make it increasingly difficult for the leadership to avoid addressing the controversy.
The allegations and questions raised by Pannu come amid calls for clarification over the woman’s stay at the sarai, the reported financial transactions and the handling of the complaint. The claims made at the press conference were attributed to Pannu.
FOLLOW NOW
