Punjab Polls: Rape Allegations Against Akali Leader Trigger Party Rift, SGPC Questions

With the Punjab Assembly elections months away, the Shiromani Akali Dal is facing a controversy over rape allegations against senior leader and former SGPC member Amarjit Singh Chawla, with some party leaders publicly defending him even after the Akal Takht excommunicated him.

An FIR was registered at Anandpur Sahib on August 21 on a woman’s complaint, accusing Chawla of rape, wrongful confinement and criminal intimidation. Chawla has denied the allegations and said he has been implicated in the case.

The controversy has since widened to questions about the woman’s stay at an SGPC-managed facility at Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib, the circumstances in which she travelled from Bahrain to Punjab, and allegations about the involvement of Akali leaders in bringing her to India.

Akal Takht Excommunicates Chawla

The allegations came into wider public view after SAD spokesperson and women’s wing leader Roop Kaur Sandhu appeared on a Facebook live session with the complainant. The woman repeated her allegations against Chawla but later withdrew an earlier allegation that SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami had deliberately ignored her complaints.

The Akal Takht subsequently acted against Chawla. On September 20, Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj excommunicated Chawla along with additional head Granthi Malkit Singh.

Chawla criticised the decision as hasty and alleged that he was not given adequate opportunity to present his side.

Despite the religious body's action, some Akali leaders have continued to express support for Chawla. Former Akali MLA Virsa Singh Valtoha questioned the complainant’s account and raised doubts about her allegations of sexual assault.

“It is surprising that a person who was allegedly being raped for six months remained silent for so long,” Valtoha said, referring to the woman’s reported movements outside the premises.

Valtoha also referred to what he described as the complainant’s previous legal disputes and alleged that she had filed fraudulent criminal cases to blackmail people. These claims have not been established by a court.

SGPC member Rajinder Singh Mehta also told The Indian Express that he supported Chawla, while saying he respected the Akal Takht's decision.

The Aam Aadmi Party has questioned the SGPC's internal four-member inquiry and called for an independent police or judicial investigation. Valtoha, in response, accused the ruling party of politicising the matter.

Woman's Stay At SGPC Facility Raises Questions

The case has also raised questions about the circumstances in which the Bahrain-based woman came to Punjab and subsequently stayed for several months at Bhai Bachittar Singh Niwas, an SGPC-managed facility at Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib.

In subsequent videos, the woman alleged that she had been brought to India to “expose” a person within the SAD. She said she was arrested at the airport in an old case soon after arriving and was therefore unable to carry out the task for which she had allegedly been brought.

She later alleged that Valtoha and SAD's Ghanaur candidate Sarabjit Singh Jhinjer had arranged her ticket. Valtoha has denied the allegation.

The woman has also reportedly alleged that she was provided a vehicle and attendants during her stay at the SGPC facility.

The allegations have prompted questions from rival Sikh organisations over the use of SGPC resources. On September 24, Giani Harpreet Singh, president of Akali Dal (Punar Surjit), sought an explanation from Dhami over why the woman was accommodated at the facility and allegedly provided a vehicle and sevadars. The Alliance of Sikh Organisations has also sought clarity on whether the arrangements were officially authorised.

The controversy has also affected the SAD internally. The party expelled Roop Kaur Sandhu from its primary membership on September 29, citing “indiscipline”. Before her expulsion, Sandhu had said other women had approached her following the controversy and had indicated that there could be further revelations involving influential figures.

Meanwhile, police have issued a look-out circular for Chawla, who left for Canada on August 14. The FIR registered on August 21 invokes Sections 64, 127(2) and 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, relating to rape, wrongful confinement and criminal intimidation.

Chawla, a former SGPC member from Anandpur Sahib, began his political career with the All India Sikh Students Federation and has long been associated with the SAD and the management of affairs at Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib.

The allegations against him remain subject to investigation and legal proceedings. The political controversy, meanwhile, has expanded beyond the FIR to questions over the conduct of the SAD leadership, the role of the SGPC and the use of its facilities and resources.