Pro-Khalistan message case: Gujarat Police seizes some electronic devices from UP during raids

Gujarat police have seized electronic devices from Uttar Pradesh in connection with bulk video and voice messages released allegedly by a pro-Khalistan group threatening to storm the Narendra Modi Stadium ahead of the India-Australia Test last month, officials said on Saturday.

Three SIM boxes, routers and mobile phones each were seized from rented a house at Modinagar town in UP where they were set up for the crime, even as those behind it managed to escape, a cybercrime branch official in Ahmedabad said.

The police last month arrested two persons from Rewa in Madhya Pradesh in connection with bulk calls and audio and video messages to people in Gujarat ahead of the India-Australia Test at the stadium where Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian peer Anthony Albanese were present on the first day of the match on March 9.

The culprits used advanced technology to spoof calls to send spread the threat messages to spread fear among the public, said police.

The pre-recorded voice clips warned people to “stay at home” on the day saying “pro-Khalistan Sikhs” were going to "storm Narendra Modi cricket stadium and install Khalistan flags”.

The messages claimed to carry the voice of Gurpatwant Singh Punnun, the founder-leader of the banned outfit “Sikhs for Justice” that supports the secession of Punjab from India as Khalistan.

“It was meant to create panic in the minds of the people and harm the unity and integrity of the country by creating enmity between different religions and communities of India,” the police said in a release.

The case has been registered under section 16(1)(b) – terrorism – of the anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), section 66 (F) of the Information Technology Act dealing with acts of cyber terrorism and Indian Penal Code sections 153 (A) (promoting enmity between different groups), 505 (statement conducting public mischief), and 120 B (criminal conspiracy).