Sun Dec 07 23:10:00 UTC 2025: News Article Summary:

The Punjab Police have filed a criminal case against 16 people, including former officials of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), regarding the disappearance of 328 sacred texts of the Guru Granth Sahib in 2020. The FIR includes charges related to insulting religion, criminal breach of trust, forgery, and criminal conspiracy. The case has sparked controversy, with state government officials condemning any acts of sacrilege and SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami accusing the government of interfering in Sikh religious affairs. Dhami maintains that the matter is an internal administrative issue that has already been addressed by the Akal Takht, the supreme Sikh authority.

News Article:

Punjab Police File FIR in Missing Guru Granth Sahib Case, Sparking Political Dispute

Chandigarh, December 8, 2025 – The Punjab Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against 16 individuals, including former high-ranking officials of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), concerning the disappearance of 328 “saroops” (sacred copies) of the Guru Granth Sahib back in 2020. The FIR, filed on Sunday in Amritsar, alleges various violations of the Indian Penal Code, including insulting religion, criminal breach of trust, forgery, and criminal conspiracy.

Among those named are former SGPC chief secretary Roop Singh, and ex-secretary of the Dharam Parchar Committee, Manjit Singh. The incident, which involved the disappearance of the sacred texts from the SGPC’s publication house, ignited a major controversy at the time, raising questions about potential misappropriation.

The state government has condemned the incident, with Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan vowing zero tolerance for sacrilege. “Our government will not spare anybody who will commit this type of heinous crime. Guru Sahib ji has guided us to protect all the religions across the globe,” he stated.

However, the move has drawn sharp criticism from SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami, who accused the ruling AAP government of blatant interference in Sikh religious institutions. Dhami argued that the government’s alleged support for protesting groups related to the missing “saroops” is politically motivated.

“Qaumi religious institutions belong solely to the Sikh community, and any attempt by the government to interfere will not be allowed to succeed,” Dhami asserted. He further stated that the Akal Takht, the supreme Sikh authority, had already conducted an inquiry into the matter and taken appropriate departmental action, deeming it a case of financial misconduct rather than sacrilege. He warned the government to cease interfering in Sikh affairs, or it would bear the consequences.

The case is likely to further strain relations between the state government and the SGPC, raising concerns about the autonomy of Sikh religious institutions. The SGPC has appealed to the Jathedar of Akal Takht Sahib to address the alleged government interference.

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