The investigation into the disappearance of 328 saroops (volumes) of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib has intensified, with police making a second arrest despite the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) reiterating its stance against government interference in the matter.
Second Arrest and Widespread Raids
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case arrested Kanwaljit Singh on Saturday. This follows the earlier arrest of Satinder Singh Kohli, a chartered accountant and former internal auditor of the SGPC. The arrests are part of a sweeping operation that saw raids at 14 locations across Punjab and Chandigarh.
The raids targeted eight locations in Amritsar City, two in Chandigarh, and one each in Gurdaspur, Ropar, Tarn Taran, and Amritsar Rural. During these searches, authorities seized a significant cache of electronic evidence, including seven mobile phones, three tablets, two laptops, and one storage device. Incriminating financial records and documents were also confiscated.
Allegations and Ongoing Scrutiny
A SIT spokesperson stated on Sunday that Kanwaljit Singh, who worked as an assistant, allegedly played a direct role in serious irregularities. These pertain to the maintenance, handling, and unauthorized preparation and storage of the religious scriptures.
The seized electronic devices are now slated for forensic analysis. Simultaneously, the financial documents are under detailed scrutiny, with a particular focus on payments made by companies linked to several individuals, including politicians.
The Case and Future Actions
The First Information Report (FIR) in this sensitive case was registered at Police Station C Division in Amritsar. It names 16 persons, of whom two have allegedly died. Out of the remaining 14 under probe, two—Kohli and Kanwaljit Singh—have been arrested so far.
The spokesperson indicated that more searches and arrests are likely as the investigation progresses. This police action continues to move forward even as the SGPC maintains that such interference in religious affairs is unacceptable.
The SIT has affirmed that further investigations are actively ongoing to unravel the full extent of the irregularities surrounding the missing sacred volumes.
