AMRITSAR, Dec 24— Five years after they were dismissed over the alleged disappearance of 328 ‘saroops’ of the Guru Granth Sahib, former SGPC employees have offered to cooperate with a special investigation team, asserting their innocence and alleging they were made scapegoats.
The offer comes after Amritsar police, on Dec. 7, registered an FIR against 16 persons, largely former SGPC officials and staff, in connection with the case. The FIR invokes charges of forgery, destruction of records and sacrilege. An Amritsar court has rejected the bail pleas of the accused.
Former SGPC publication department in-charge Paramdeep Singh said he welcomed the government’s decision to form an SIT under the Punjab Bureau of Investigation.
“I was never part of the publication department during the period when the ‘saroops’ were reported missing,” Paramdeep Singh said. He added that Jujhar Singh, Dalbir Singh and Manjit Singh, also named in the FIR, were ready to face questioning.
Former deputy secretary Gurbachan Singh said the dismissed employees had no hesitation in joining the probe. “We have full faith that the SIT will conduct an impartial investigation,” he said.
Former supervisor Gurmukh Singh said the accused had endured years of stigma. “For over five years, we lived with the allegation hanging over us, while those actually responsible remained untouched due to political backing,” he said.
Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, tasked with overseeing the SIT, said investigators would thoroughly examine all angles. “Every suspect will be interrogated to identify the network behind the alleged disappearance,” he said.
The case stems from a 1,000-page inquiry report prepared by a three-member committee constituted by the Akal Takht in 2020. The panel concluded that 328 ‘saroops’ were unaccounted for in the SGPC publication department during 2013-14 and 2014-15.
In the aftermath, several employees were removed from service or suspended, and then SGPC chief secretary Dr. Roop Singh resigned.
Meanwhile, questions have been raised over discrepancies in the FIR, which was lodged on a complaint by Baldev Singh Wadala, a dismissed hazuri raagi and head of the Sikh Sadbhawna Dal. Of the 16 named, three had already died before the FIR was registered, while some names were incorrectly recorded.
Former deputy secretary Nishan Singh and a sewadar, Amarjit Singh, were no longer alive at the time of registration. Paramdeep Singh was mistakenly listed as Paramjeet Singh, while Gurcharan Singh was wrongly identified instead of former SGPC chief secretary Harcharan Singh, who died years ago.
A police official said the FIR was registered based on the complaint and would be corrected during the course of investigation.
