Amritsar: The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Wednesday reiterated its position on the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of sacred ‘saroops’ of the Guru Granth Sahib, asserting that it will strictly adhere to the directive issued by the Akal Takht.
The statement comes nearly ten days after the five Sikh high priests, meeting at the Akal Takht, ruled that extending cooperation to government agencies or the police in the matter was not in the larger interest of the Sikh Panth. The Akal Takht is regarded as the highest temporal authority in Sikhism.
Former SGPC officials associated with the organisation’s publication wing — Gurinder Singh, Gurnam Singh and Manjit Singh — said that all actions taken by the committee are guided by the need to uphold the sanctity of the Guru Granth Sahib. They explained that there has never been a formal mechanism such as registers, diaries or receipts for the issuance of saroops, as the sacred texts are not treated as ordinary publications.
According to them, maintaining transactional records or documentation for the release of saroops would be inconsistent with long-standing religious practices. In this context, they said, the question of sharing operational details with the police or the Special Investigation Team does not arise.
The remarks were made amid an ongoing SIT investigation into the reported disappearance of 328 saroops. The probe has so far led to multiple arrests, as authorities continue to examine the circumstances surrounding the missing sacred volumes.
SGPC representatives emphasised that their stance is rooted in obedience to the Akal Takht’s directive and the preservation of religious principles, even as the investigation by state agencies proceeds separately.
