The handwritten manuscript which contains the Bani of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji and bears the signature of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji remains stolen and untraced for nearly 13 years. The Gutka Sahib contained Chaupai Sahib in full form and shabads by the ninth Sikh Guru, Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji.
The manuscript served as a great importance and preservation of authentic bani of Chaupai Sahib. The manuscript was stolen from the descendents of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji.
Read the following for further information, an article published in 2003 in the Tribune.
Manuscript of verses by Guru Teg Bahadur stolen
Lalit Mohan
Anandpur Sahib (Ropar), July 4
A granth having hand-written verses of the ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Teg Bahadur, and Guru Chaupai Sahib (holy hymns recited at the time of baptisation) written by the tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, have been stolen from the house of descendants of Guru Teg Bahadur located in Anandpur Sahib.
Sources here said the scriptures were kept in an old building in Bari Sarha Mohalla of Anandpur Sahib owned by Narinder Kaur and her family who claim to be descendant of Baba Suraj Mal, son of Guru Teg Bahadur. Manji Sahib Gurdwara was also located in the same building. Devotees used to visit the building for paying obeisance to the scriptures of the Guru.
On Wednesday, a devotee came to the place to pay obeisance. He allegedly stole the scriptures after the family members left the place. The theft was noticed in the evening when family members came for evening rituals to the gurdwara.
A complaint has been registered by the Anandpur Sahib police station regarding the theft of the scriptures. The DSP Anandpur Sahib, Mr Varinder Brar, said initial investigation revealed that the person who stole the scriptures belonged to the Ludhiana area and was between 50 and 55 years of age.
On the basis of the description provided by the family members, a sketch of the suspected thief was being prepared. The thief also left a blanket at the spot, he said.
Jathedar of Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib Giani Tarlochan Singh said the scriptures stolen from the gurdwara were authentic. The SGPC during the tercentenary celebrations had urged the family to hand over the scriptures. However, the family did not hand these over, maintaining that the scriptures were property of the Sodhi family. The Jathedar also visited the spot for surveying the family’s remaining possessions which were important historically.
The SGPC has deputed its flying squad to inquire into the theft of the holy scripture written by Guru Tegh Bahadur and Guru Gobind Singh from the house of descendent of Baba Suraj Mal in Anandpur Sahib, Mr Kirpal Singh Badungar, president of the SGPC, stated this after in a press note here today.
Mr Badungar has added that the SGPC tried to procure holy scriptures related with the Sikh history from the families which possessed these.
A three-member committee headed by the Jathedar of the Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib Giani Tarlochan Singh has also been formed to approach the family of Mr Harbans Singh Sodhi for handing over the remaining important scriptures to the SGPC. The scriptures would be kept in the Sikh Reference Library, he said.
ਸਤਿਗੁਰਬਚਨਕਮਾਵਣੇਸਚਾਏਹੁਵੀਚਾਰੁ॥