Leaked WhatsApp chat bares plans to attack Shah, Bittu & Majithia; 2 held
The Punjab Police have arrested two persons and lodged an FIR in Moga after plans to attack Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittu and SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia came to light.
The plans were uncovered through leaked screenshots of a WhatsApp group chat allegedly supporting MP Amritpal Singh, currently lodged in a jail in Dibrugarh, Assam.
The FIR was registered at the Cyber Crime police station in Moga under the IPC, the UAPA and the IT Act, including Sections 61(2)(a), 113(3), 152 and 353 of the BNS, 13 and 18 of the UAPA and 66F and 67 of the IT Act.
Yesterday, leaked screenshots of the chat surfaced on social media, raising the alarm. Investigations led the police to identify the key accused involved in creating the WhatsApp group — “Waris Punjab De Team” — reportedly linked to anti-national activities.
Among the suspects are Lakhdeep Singh Sardargarh from Bathinda, Balkar Singh from New Model Town, Khanna, and Pawandeep Singh from Khote, Moga. Balkar Singh and Pawandeep Singh have been arrested.
The suspects are alleged to have incited unrest, opposing the extension in Amritpal Singh’s detention under the National Security Act (NSA).
They reportedly plotted violence against political and religious figures, including Amit Shah, Ravneet Singh Bittu, Bikram Majithia and Parminder Singh Talwara. Police sources said the discussions within the group pertained to foreign funding, arms procurement and sharing inflammatory content online.
The WhatsApp group, reportedly comprising over 600 members, discussed targeted attacks on political leaders, including Talwara, an aide to the late Deep Sidhu, the founder of the Waris Punjab De. Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittu, whose grandfather and former Punjab CM Beant Singh was assassinated by terrorists, has faced threats before and was accused by Amritpal’s supporters of aiding his detention.
National and Punjab security agencies have taken note of these chats, tightening the security of the leaders being targeted.
Meanwhile, SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia released audio clips of Amritpal Singh “admitting” to links with gangsters and involvement in dacoities and other illicit activities.
Majithia has called for an NIA probe, stating that he would hand over all evidence to the Centre. He alleged politicisation of the Punjab Police and criticised Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for remaining silent on such a crucial matter, questioning whether the authorities were “waiting for someone to die.”
In the audio recordings, Amritpal reportedly details his connections with gangster Jaipal Bhullar and shares information about looted gold and cash reserves. He also mentions his family’s political associations, gang connections and assets in Delhi. Majithia labelled Amritpal as a “dhongi”, not a “pracharak”, emphasising his history of supporting the Congress and alleged links with gangsters Arsh Dalla, Happy Passia and Harwinder Rinda.
Punjab