Why in News? Delhi Lieutenant-Governor, based on a complaint received by World Hindu Federation, has recommended National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe against jailed Delhi Chief Minister for receiving political funding from Sikhs for Justice (SFJ).

What are the allegations against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)? AAP is accused of receiving $16 million from SFJ for facilitating the release of Devinder Pal Bhullar and espousing pro-Khalistan sentiments.

What is SFJ? It is a New York-based pro-Khalistan organization founded in 2017 by Gurpatwant Singh Pannun to achieve “self-determination for Sikhs in their historic homeland in Indian held Punjab and establish a sovereign state, popularly known as Khalistan”.

Related Activities- Going with Pannun’s motto of “ballots not bullets”, SFJ held a ‘Referendum 2020’ among Sikh diaspora across multiple countries for secession of Punjab. Referendums were also held in Canada last year. SFJ also glorifies terrorists, for example, it has named the campaign headquarters for ‘referendum’ in Canada after Talwinder Singh Parmar (the mastermind behind 1985 Air India bombing) and in 2020,SFJpromised to gift new iPhones to the ones flying Khalistan flag in honour of ‘Shaheed’ Beant Singh (killer of Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi). Apart from this, the group has often mounted veiled threats at Hindus and other non-Sikh members of the Indian diaspora.

Is it Banned in India? Yes, India banned SFJ in 2019 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 for espousing secessionism and militant ideology in Punjab, while operating from safe havens on foreign soils with the support of inimical forces in other countries. India also refers to Pannun as a terrorist and has almost a dozen cases registered against Pannun and SFJ.