A UK High Court judge has dismissed a libel case filed by the UK branch of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) against Lord Rami Ranger. However, the court has allowed a similar case by Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the US-based SFJ leader, to move forward.

Case Stems from 2021 Remarks

The dispute began after Ranger gave an interview in 2021 to Pakistan Daily and shared a tweet. In both, he claimed that SFJ and Pannun were being supported by “the enemies of India.” He also accused them of spreading false claims about atrocities in Punjab to collect donations from gurdwaras.

The article, titled “Lord Ranger questions faith, funding of Sikh separatist leader,” was published on 30 November 2021.

SFJ UK and Pannun Say Article Was Defamatory

Both SFJ UK and Pannun argued that the article damaged their reputations. Notably, Pannun, a lawyer based in New York, has been designated a terrorist by India.

They claimed the article falsely implied they were being funded by Pakistan and its intelligence agency, the ISI. They also alleged that it suggested Pannun was misleading the public to make money.

Judge Rejects SFJ UK’s Claim Entirely

However, Judge Justice Jay ruled that the article referred only to the US-based SFJ, not its UK wing. He dismissed the UK branch’s case and said, “storm in a teacup.”

According to the judge, ordinary readers would not assume that the article involved SFJ UK just because it mentioned the group.

Reference to “Enemies of India” Not Defamatory

In addition, Justice Jay addressed the phrase “enemies of India.” He noted that it is widely understood that Pakistan and India are adversaries.

Importantly, he clarified that the article did not name the ISI or claim that SFJ or Pannun were working for the agency. Furthermore, the judge stated that being funded by Pakistan, even if true, is not automatically defamatory.

Final Outcome

As a result, the court has dismissed the libel claim by SFJ UK in full. However, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun’s individual lawsuit will continue in court.