UK sanctions British Sikh businessman and group over alleged pro-Khalistan financing
The United Kingdom has imposed targeted sanctions on a British Sikh businessman and a U.K.-based organisation after an investigation linked them to alleged financing networks supporting pro-Khalistan activities. The move marks one of the strongest actions taken by London in recent years against groups accused of funnelling money into separatist operations abroad.
According to officials familiar with the decision, the sanctions include asset freezes, travel restrictions, and prohibitions on providing or receiving funds through the designated individuals and entity. The British government says the steps were taken following evidence suggesting that financial channels inside the U.K. were being used to support campaigns that India describes as extremist in nature.
The announcement comes at a delicate moment in India-U.K. relations, which have been strained over several issues including diaspora-linked activism, trade negotiations, and diplomatic disagreements. While British authorities maintain that their actions are strictly tied to security and financial integrity, the move is expected to be closely watched in New Delhi, where concerns over the overseas funding of Khalistan-aligned groups have been repeatedly raised.
Sources say London conducted a months-long assessment involving security services and financial crime units before finalising the sanctions. The individual named is alleged to have overseen fundraising operations that, U.K. officials say, were disguised as community welfare initiatives but were later traced to activities linked to separatist mobilisation. The group sanctioned is believed to have served as the organisational channel for these transfers.
India is expected to react formally once it reviews the details of the sanctions. In recent years, New Delhi has pressed Western governments to take firmer action against individuals it accuses of supporting separatist extremism from overseas.
British authorities stressed that the sanctions are not aimed at any community but are part of the country’s responsibility to counter financing networks that pose potential security risks. The move signals that London intends to harden its stance on foreign-linked activism that crosses into illicit financial activity, setting the stage for further scrutiny of such networks in the months ahead.
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