Amritsar: Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami on Tuesday constituted a four-member panel to examine all aspects of the case involving SGPC member Amarjit Singh Chawla, against whom a rape case was recently registered over allegations by a woman who had stayed at an SGPC-managed sarai at Anandpur Sahib.The panel comprises SGPC executive member Baldev Singh Qaimpur and members Gurmeet Singh Booha, Gurbakhsh Singh Khalsa and Gurinder Kaur Bholuwala. SGPC secretary Balwinder Singh Kahlwan will coordinate the inquiry. Dhami said the panel would submit its report within 15 days.Dhami said the SGPC was already conducting a departmental inquiry, but the new panel would examine the matter in detail and answer questions being raised by the Sikh sangat on the basis of facts.He said suspended additional head granthi Bhai Malkit Singh had been relieved of his services in accordance with the decision of Sri Akal Takht Sahib following allegations made by a woman. He also said the resignation submitted by Chawla through a video had been accepted.The development comes amid questions over the SGPC’s handling of the woman’s stay and the allegations against Chawla. Dhami said he had no information about the woman’s arrival at the premises or who had brought her there. He said she had met him once or twice but had never spoken to him about any alleged immoral conduct.The Alliance of Sikh Organizations has announced a Sep 24 protest outside Dhami’s residence in Hoshiarpur, demanding his resignation over the episode. The alliance has alleged that the SGPC provided the woman accommodation and other support for more than six months and has questioned the organisation’s handling of the matter.
