The Punjab government has sparked a major controversy by forming a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the case of 328 missing saroops (holy volumes) of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. This move has been met with immediate and strong opposition from the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the apex religious body of the Sikhs, which has termed it an unnecessary interference in religious matters.
Composition of the Special Investigation Team
The state government, through a notification issued by L K Yadav, Director of the Bureau of Investigations, has constituted a seven-member SIT. The team will be headed by Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, the Commissioner of Police for Amritsar. The other members include senior officers from across Punjab: Jagatpreet Singh (AIG, Vigilance, SAS Nagar), Ravinderpal Singh Sandhu (DCP, Investigations, Amritsar), Harpal Singh Sandhu (Additional DCP, Amritsar), Gurbans Singh Bains (SP, D, Patiala), Beant Juneja (ACP, Ludhiana), and Harminder Singh (ACP, D, Amritsar Police Commissionerate).
This SIT is tasked with investigating the First Information Report (FIR) that was registered on December 7, 2025, at the C Division police station in Amritsar. The case has been filed under several serious sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 295, 295-A, 120-B, 409, and 465, which relate to offences against religion, criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, and forgery.
SGPC's Fierce Opposition and Internal Inquiry
Reacting sharply to the government's decision, SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami condemned the formation of the SIT. He stated that interference by governments in the internal administrative affairs of religion and religious institutions is not only unnecessary but also against Sikh traditions. Dhami framed this as a direct challenge to the authority of the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikhism.
In a release issued on Monday, Dhami clarified that an inquiry committee was earlier constituted by the Akal Takht itself to look into the matter. He asserted that this committee conducted its investigation with "complete seriousness and responsibility." Following its findings, the SGPC took departmental action against the guilty employees as per the orders of the Akal Takht Jathedar.
"No leniency was shown to anyone," Dhami stressed, adding that the action was taken after considering all points raised during the internal investigation. He revealed that the inquiry committee's report established the matter was linked to financial misappropriation by certain employees.
Accusations of Politicisation and a Stern Warning
The SGPC chief accused the Punjab government of deliberately giving a political colour to the issue. "The Punjab govt is deliberately giving a political colour to the issue, which amounts to playing with Sikh sentiments and is entirely inappropriate," Dhami said. He warned that politicising religious issues for political gain is unacceptable under any circumstances.
Advising the state government to step back, Dhami said it should refrain from taking decisions in matters linked to Sikh sentiments. He emphasized that by forming the SIT, the government is challenging the supremacy of the Akal Takht, a move that is likely to deepen the existing rift between the religious body and the state administration.
The formation of the SIT and the SGPC's vehement opposition sets the stage for a significant confrontation. It highlights the ongoing tension between state authority and autonomous religious institutions in Punjab, especially concerning matters of deep religious significance like the sanctity of the Guru Granth Sahib.
