SGPC suspended two of its employees on September 17, 2026. The action came after their names surfaced in a rape case FIR against senior Shiromani Akali Dal leader and SGPC member Amarjit Singh Chawla. The suspension order was issued in Amritsar, Punjab, and covers Akal Takht additional head granthi Malkit Singh and Mohan Singh, a driver posted at Takht Kesgarh Sahib. The move matters because it touches the top religious body of Sikhs, a sitting Akali leader, and a serious criminal allegation.
What did SGPC do?
SGPC president Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami ordered the suspension with immediate effect. He acted after the committee received information about the two names appearing in the case. SGPC chief secretary Kulwant Singh Mannan confirmed both employees were suspended from service. He said the Flying Squad Department had been directed to conduct a detailed inquiry. Mannan added that SGPC would not spare any staff member linked to immoral or unethical conduct.
Who are the suspended SGPC employees?
Malkit Singh held the post of additional head granthi at Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs. Mohan Singh worked as a driver at Takht Kesgarh Sahib in Anandpur Sahib. Neither man is named as an accused in the FIR. The complainant alleged that both had sent her vulgar messages. That claim is currently part of the FIR record and has not been established in court.
What does the FIR against Amarjit Singh Chawla say?
The FIR was registered on August 21, 2026, at Anandpur Sahib. It was filed under Sections 64, 127(2) and 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The complainant is a woman from Sangrur district who is currently settled in Bahrain. She alleged that she was held captive and raped at a serai in Anandpur Sahib. The accused named in the FIR is senior SAD leader and SGPC member Amarjit Singh Chawla. These are allegations recorded in a police complaint. They have not been proved in a court of law.
Why has SGPC also come under scrutiny?
The case has raised questions about SGPC’s sarai system. SGPC generally allows visitors to stay in a sarai room for up to three days. The complainant said she stayed for several months across different sarais and rooms. This detail has drawn attention to how such long stays went unnoticed. The FIR also states that the woman informed Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj about the alleged rape more than once. According to the FIR, no action was taken at that stage.
What other names have surfaced in the case?
The FIR names several people associated with SAD and SGPC. The complainant alleged these persons knew about her allegations against Chawla. According to the FIR, the names include:
- Avtar Singh, personal assistant to SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal
- Satbir Singh, personal assistant to SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami
- Shahbaz Singh, deputy secretary of SGPC
The complainant said she had informed these individuals that Chawla was sexually assaulting her. No action has been announced by SGPC against any of these office bearers so far. The FIR also refers to a person described as close to senior SAD leader Virsa Singh Valtoha. It states the woman remained in contact with senior Akali leaders and SGPC office bearers during the period covered by her complaint.
What happens next?
The Flying Squad Department’s inquiry into Malkit Singh and Mohan Singh is underway. No timeline has been announced for its completion. SGPC has not commented on the status of the criminal case against Chawla or on the other named individuals. Attempts to reach Mannan for further comment were unsuccessful, according to The Tribune . This report will be updated as SGPC, Punjab Police or the accused parties issue further statements.
This is a developing legal matter. The allegations against Amarjit Singh Chawla and others named in the FIR are, at this stage, unproven claims recorded in a police complaint.