The Punjabi cops have filed a FIR for the very first time based on the recently introduced Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026. The report comes after the desecrated holy books were found this week in the slum locality of Malout.
According to information received, about 40 pages of the ‘Sukhmani Sahib Gutka’, which is an important part of the Sikh prayers book, were found torn and strewn around in the street of Kuchian Mohalla last Thursday night. This prompted the residents to file a complaint, resulting in immediate police action.
DSP (Malout) Harjeet Singh disclosed in this connection on Saturday that the FIR had been filed against unidentified suspects. “The seized pages have been duly restored to a local gurdwara in adherence to Maryada,” said the police official.
This case is an example of the enactment of the state’s toughest desecration law, which came into force on April 20, 2026. The charges include:
Section 5 of the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Act, 2026: A specific state legislation which provides for a punishment of at least seven years, up to a maximum of 20 years, in case of sacrilege.
Section 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS): A provision that penalizes an intentional and malicious act meant to outrage the religious sentiments. Under the new 2026 Act, in case a conspiracy is established for disturbing communal harmony, the penalty could reach even lifelong imprisonment and a fine of up to ₹25 lakhs.
In his initial comment, Muktsar SSP Abhimanyu Rana observed that while there appears to be no mischief involved, nevertheless, an elite investigating team has been searching through the CCTV footage along with interrogating the residents of the locality. The investigation team is looking into the possibility of the sacred scripture having been brought to the locality by ragpickers picking up scrap.
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