In a major reversal of its previous position, the Akal Takht, the supreme temporal authority of Sikhs, on Monday called upon the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to extend full cooperation to the Punjab Police. This cooperation is sought for the ongoing investigation into the mysterious disappearance of 328 sacred saroops, or copies, of the Guru Granth Sahib.
A Directive for Transparency and Cooperation
Acting Jathedar of the Akal Takht, Giani Kuldip Singh Gargaj, issued a statement directing the apex Sikh body to assist the police probe. This marks a clear departure from the SGPC's earlier declared stance of non-cooperation with the law enforcement agency. The SGPC had previously asserted that internal disciplinary action, based on the findings of an Akal Takht-appointed inquiry panel, was sufficient.
The acting jathedar emphasized that the decision was made to ensure transparency and to safeguard larger Panthic (Sikh community) interests, amid confusion being sown among the devotees, or sangat. He specifically authorized SGPC President Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami to provide "due cooperation to the government only with regard to the issue of the 328 sacred saroops."
Gargaj outlined the terms of cooperation, stating that if the police require any information from the SGPC for the investigation, it should be reviewed at the SGPC's sub-office in Chandigarh in the presence of the SGPC president himself.
The Core of the Controversy: Financial Misappropriation
Central to the issue is the report of a three-member Akal Takht inquiry panel headed by Ishar Singh. Giani Kuldip Singh Gargaj cited this report, stating it clearly found that the holy saroops were distributed to the community through a collusion between certain employees and officials.
The report alleged a clear case of financial misappropriation, as the prescribed offerings (monetary donations) for these saroops were neither deposited into the relevant trust funds nor were proper bills issued for the transactions. The Akal Takht has already held 16 individuals named in the Ishar Singh report as guilty in this matter.
Strict Warning Against Political Exploitation
The Akal Takht statement carried a stern warning for political parties and individuals against capitalizing on this sensitive religious issue for political gain. The acting jathedar highlighted that the Ishar Singh commission's report explicitly states that no political party should attempt to derive benefit from this matter.
"Any party doing so would be accountable to the Akal Takht and would be considered guilty of betraying Panthic interests," Gargaj stated, reiterating that the Akal Takht has already ordered an immediate halt to all politics being played on the issue.
He also expressed deep concern over the language used in media debates regarding the matter. Gargaj noted that spokespersons, intellectuals, and commentators on various platforms have been using "extremely low-level analogies and language," which is unbearable for the Sikh faithful. He issued strict directions to all Sikh scholars and personalities to refrain from making allegations against any connected party or individual until the investigation concludes.
This U-turn by the Akal Takht introduces a new chapter in the probe, potentially paving the way for a more coordinated effort between the Sikh religious administration and state authorities to resolve the case of the missing sacred scriptures.
