In the wake of allegations involving the receipt of foreign funds from the banned terror group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), Amarpreet Singh, the India chief of the UK-based non-governmental organization Khalsa Aid, has stepped down from his position.
According to a letter dated October 8, purportedly issued by Khalsa Aid and circulated on social media, the organization cited the need for structural changes within the NGO.
The letter stated, “We constantly strive to ensure the smooth functioning of our management structure and remain accountable to the Sangat (people). To achieve this goal, recent changes have been made to the operations of the Khalsa Aid India Charitable Trust Board and Khalsa Aid India. These changes were deemed necessary to ensure the efficient functioning of our operations in Punjab and across India.”
It’s worth noting that in August, the National Investigation Team (NIA), an anti-terror agency, had conducted a raid on Khalsa Aid’s India headquarters in Patiala. During the raid, the agency seized documents and two mobile phones belonging to Amarpreet Singh.
The NIA team also searched Amarpreet Singh’s residence in the Patiala area in connection with the attack on an Indian mission in London on March 19. He was questioned regarding the source of funding and the details of volunteers associated with the NGO.
Sources suggest that Khalsa Aid came under the NIA’s scrutiny following a case registered against the US-based terrorist organization Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) in 2021, during the farmer agitation.
The investigative agency alleged that SFJ had channeled foreign funds through NGOs to support “pro-Khalistan elements” in spreading anti-India propaganda.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent SFJ member, was killed in Canada in July of this year.
Amarpreet Singh remained unavailable for comment, and officials from Patiala CID confirmed his resignation from the position of Khalsa Aid’s India chief.
