Chandigarh, September 29, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab General Secretary and Media In-charge Baltej Pannu on Tuesday questioned Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) leaders Sukhbir Singh Badal, Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Bikram Singh Majithia, along with Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) President Harjinder Singh Dhami, over allegations concerning a woman from Bahrain who stayed at an SGPC-run sarai at Sri Anandpur Sahib.
Pannu said he had held nearly four press conferences on the matter, but several questions raised about the woman’s stay and the alleged use of SGPC resources remained unanswered. He called on the leaders to address the allegations publicly and explain what they knew about the case.
At a press conference, Pannu questioned Harsimrat Kaur Badal’s silence on the matter, noting that she had been participating in programmes and rallies concerning women’s issues. He also criticised Bikram Singh Majithia and Dhami for issuing video statements rather than facing questions from journalists.
Pannu said Dhami had again declined to respond to media questions in Patiala, citing that he was there for another matter. He asked when the SGPC president would hold a press conference to address the allegations, adding that the Sikh sangat had a right to clear answers about the functioning of its institutions and the use of their resources.
Questions Over SGPC Inquiry Committee
Pannu questioned the four-member inquiry committee constituted by the SGPC, arguing that its members might not be in a position to question senior individuals whose names had surfaced in connection with the case.
He referred to the woman’s alleged statement that she had conveyed details of the matter to Dhami and Sukhbir Singh Badal, and asked whether the committee would question them about what they knew, when they became aware of the situation and what action, if any, had been taken.
Pannu suggested that the inquiry be entrusted to an experienced and independent person, such as a retired Sikh judge or a retired senior police officer. He questioned whether a committee comprising relatively junior members, whom he said lacked legal and administrative expertise, could adequately investigate a matter involving senior figures.
The SGPC has given the committee 15 days to submit its report. Pannu questioned whether the time frame would result in public attention fading, insisting that the Sikh community would continue to seek answers beyond the committee’s deadline.
“The questions will remain even after 15 days. They will remain after 10 days and they will remain after 10 months unless proper answers are given,” he said.
Pannu Raises Questions About Woman’s Stay and Expenses
Pannu sought details about who brought the woman from Bahrain to Punjab, who arranged her travel and accommodation, who received her and who provided her with facilities during her stay at the SGPC-run sarai.
He also questioned the roles of Sarabjit Singh Jhinjer and Virsa Singh Valtoha, asking what part they allegedly played in arranging the woman’s stay and related arrangements.
According to Pannu, the woman stayed at the sarai for around eight months, and SGPC resources, including a vehicle, fuel, a driver and sewadars, were allegedly used in connection with her stay. He demanded that the SGPC disclose the full expenditure on accommodation, food, travel, facilities and any other payments, including cash expenses, and identify who authorised them.
Pannu also raised an allegation of a financial transaction involving the woman. He claimed that ₹1 lakh was transferred on July 23, 2026, from an account in the name of the SGPC Secretary at Punjab National Bank to the woman’s account.
He asked why the amount had been transferred, what it was intended for, who had authorised the payment and under which accounting head it had been recorded.
Describing the alleged transfer as one transaction that required explanation, Pannu questioned whether there had been other payments or cash expenditures during the woman’s stay. He called on the SGPC to provide a complete account of all expenses and clarify who had approved each payment.
Accountability for Sangat’s Contributions
Pannu said the Sikh sangat contributed to the SGPC with faith and devotion, and argued that the organisation should be accountable for every rupee spent. He used the example of small donations, saying that ₹1 lakh was equivalent to 10,000 contributions of ₹10 each, and questioned how money from an SGPC account could have been transferred to the woman without a clear public explanation.
He also referred to previous controversies concerning the functioning and expenses of SGPC institutions, including matters he described as the “dry rotis” issue, the “sabji” matter during the Covid period and a building-related controversy. Pannu said the current case raised questions about who made decisions, authorised expenditure and was responsible for the facilities provided.
He argued that forming an inquiry committee alone would not address the concerns of the Sikh sangat, which, he said, wanted a detailed explanation of how the institution’s resources had been used.
Political Influence and SGPC Elections
Pannu also questioned the political influence he alleged existed over the SGPC. Referring to Dhami’s reported public description of himself as a “soldier” of Sukhbir Singh Badal, he asked whether the SGPC president would clarify his knowledge of the woman’s stay and the alleged use of SGPC resources.
He called on Sukhbir Singh Badal to explain his position, particularly in view of the woman’s alleged claim that she had conveyed details to him. Pannu said those who had arranged her travel and stay should also be questioned.
He further raised the issue of SGPC elections, asking why they had not been held for 11 years and why the Sikh sangat had been unable to choose its representatives during that period.
Pannu also alleged that the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) had reached an understanding with the BJP under which it would seek a minimum number of seats in the Vidhan Sabha elections while retaining control over the SGPC. He said the Sikh sangat and Sikh intellectuals should question how the institution was being managed and how its funds were being spent.
Reiterating his demand for answers, Pannu said the SGPC should disclose the complete details of the woman’s stay, the alleged ₹1 lakh transfer, the use of institutional resources and the roles of all those named in connection with the matter.
The allegations and questions raised by Pannu at the press conference were not accompanied by responses from the named leaders in the supplied statement.
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