SGPC's Gora, its former panel member Jafarwal face ire of Akal Takht Jathedar for associating with ex-minister Langah

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee member Gurinderpal Singh Gora and former member of religious promotion committee of SGPC Rattan Singh Jafarwal were given the punishment for having “association” with former Akali minister Sucha Singh Langah who had been ex-communicated by the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs, in October 2017 after he was booked in a rape case. The Jathedar also directed the SGPC to expel them from all positions in the apex gurdwara body.

An SGPC member was among two persons declared 'tankhaiya' (guilty of religious misconduct) by Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh on Tuesday. Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee member Gurinderpal Singh Gora and former member of religious promotion committee of SGPC Rattan Singh Jafarwal were given the punishment for having “association” with former Akali minister Sucha Singh Langah who had been ex-communicated by the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs, in October 2017 after he was booked in a rape case.

The Jathedar also directed the SGPC to expel them from all positions in the apex gurdwara body. He said that if other Sikh leaders are found having any association with them they should also be removed from all positions of the religious body. The same step should also be followed by the heads of Sikh political outfits, said the Jatehdar.

The edict came a day after Langah was pardoned by the 'panj pyaras' (five beloved ones of the Guru) at a historical Gurdwara Baba Banda Singh Bahadur in Gurdaspur. However, the ex-communication verdict against Langah by the Akal Takht remained intact.

Langah had sought forgiveness for his “misconduct” from the Akal Takht. He was booked by the Punjab police under relevant sections including 376 (rape), 384 (extortion) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code in 2017.

However, later the complainant woman claimed in the court that she lodged a complaint under pressure, leading to Langah's acquittal in 2018..