NIA court jails two 5.5 years for Khalistani flag at Moga DC office
Synopsis
Two men from Moga have been sentenced to 5.5 years in prison for replacing India's tricolour with a Khalistani flag at a government office the day before Independence Day 2020 — an act the NIA says was orchestrated and funded by US-based designated terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun of the banned Sikhs for Justice outfit.
Key Takeaways
Inderjeet Singh and Jaspal Singh , both of Moga , sentenced to 5 years and 6 months rigorous imprisonment and fined ₹16,000 each.
The duo hoisted a Khalistani flag atop the Moga DC office on 14 August 2020 , cutting and dragging the national tricolour.
Convicted under the IPC , UAPA , and the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act .
Act allegedly instigated by Gurpatwant Singh Pannun of banned outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) , who offered up to $125,000 in rewards for similar acts.
US-based absconders Pannun and Rana Singh alias Harpreet Singh declared proclaimed offenders by the Mohali court in 2021 .
A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in SAS Nagar (Mohali), Punjab, has convicted and sentenced two men to five years and six months of rigorous imprisonment in connection with the hoisting of a Khalistani flag at the Deputy Commissioner's office in Moga on 14 August 2020 — a day before Independence Day. The court also imposed a fine of ₹16,000 each on the convicts, the NIA confirmed on Friday, 1 May.
Who Was Convicted and Under What Charges
The convicted men, Inderjeet Singh and Jaspal Singh, both residents of Moga, were found guilty under multiple provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), and the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act. The court's verdict marks a significant step in the NIA's multi-year prosecution of the case, registered as RC-30/2020/NIA/DLI.
What Happened on 14 August 2020
According to the NIA, the two accused accessed the Moga DC office complex, climbed to the top of the building, and replaced the Indian tricolour with a saffron-yellow flag bearing the word 'KHALISTAN'. In the process, they allegedly cut the rope holding the national flag, causing it to fall, and subsequently dragged it — acts that the court treated as an insult to the national flag under the law.
Investigations revealed the act was carried out at the alleged instigation of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, general counsel of the banned outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), who has been designated as a terrorist by the Indian government. The NIA pointed to a provocative video uploaded by Pannun between 10 and 11 August 2020, in which he allegedly urged people in Punjab and Haryana to hoist Khalistani flags at government buildings, announcing monetary rewards — including $125,000 for hoisting such a flag at Delhi's Red Fort and $2,500 for similar acts elsewhere.
Role of Absconders and Overseas Links
The NIA's charge sheet named not only the two convicts but also two other arrested accused and two absconders based in the United States — Pannun and his associate Rana Singh alias Harpreet Singh. Both absconders were declared proclaimed offenders by the Mohali special court in 2021. Further investigations revealed that Harpreet Singh had allegedly facilitated payments to Inderjeet Singh and Jaspal Singh for carrying out the act, establishing a financial link between the overseas handlers and the ground-level operatives.
NIA's Broader Stance on Khalistani Activities
The NIA stated that the conviction underscores its continued efforts to curb activities linked to banned organisations and safeguard national integrity. Notably, this case is part of a broader pattern of SFJ-linked operations that Indian agencies have been tracking across Punjab, with Pannun — operating from the US — repeatedly named in NIA investigations for allegedly orchestrating and funding secessionist acts on Indian soil.
With the sentencing now delivered for the ground-level operatives, attention is likely to shift to the legal status of the two proclaimed absconders and India's ongoing diplomatic pressure regarding designated terrorists operating abroad.
Point of View
But the larger story remains unresolved: the alleged masterminds — Pannun and Harpreet Singh — continue to operate from the United States as proclaimed offenders. India's ability to prosecute the financiers and instigators of such acts, rather than only those who execute them, will be the true measure of deterrence. The $125,000 bounty Pannun allegedly announced for a Red Fort flag-hoisting signals an organised, incentivised network — and a ₹16,000 fine on the ground-level convicts, while legally appropriate, underscores the asymmetry between the risk borne by local operatives and the impunity enjoyed by overseas handlers.
NationPress
1 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the NIA court in Mohali decide in the Moga Khalistani flag case?
The special NIA court in SAS Nagar (Mohali) convicted Inderjeet Singh and Jaspal Singh and sentenced each to five years and six months of rigorous imprisonment, along with a fine of ₹16,000, for hoisting a Khalistani flag at the Moga Deputy Commissioner's office on 14 August 2020.
Who allegedly instigated the Moga Khalistani flag hoisting?
The NIA says the act was instigated by Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, general counsel of the banned outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), who has been designated a terrorist by the Indian government. Pannun allegedly announced monetary rewards, including $125,000 for hoisting a Khalistani flag at Delhi's Red Fort.
What laws were the convicts found guilty under?
Inderjeet Singh and Jaspal Singh were convicted under multiple provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), and the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act.
Who are the absconders in this case and where are they?
The two absconders are Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and Rana Singh alias Harpreet Singh, both based in the United States. They were declared proclaimed offenders by the Mohali special court in 2021.
What was the role of Harpreet Singh in the Moga flag hoisting case?
According to the NIA, Harpreet Singh allegedly facilitated payments to Inderjeet Singh and Jaspal Singh for carrying out the act, establishing a financial link between the overseas handlers and the ground-level operatives in Punjab.
