Amritsar, Sept. 21 -- : Akal Takht excommunicated Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) member Amarjit Singh Chawla, along with suspended additional head granthi Malkit Singh, from the Khalsa Panth on Sunday. The decision followed an FIR registered on August 21 in which a Bahrain-based woman from Sangrur accused Chawla of raping her at a serai in Anandpur Sahib. The complainant also accused Malkit Singh and an SGPC driver of sending her obscene messages. Delivering the decree after a meeting of the Panj Singh Sahiban led by acting jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, the Sikh clergy stated that the allegations severely hurt community sentiments and compromised the dignity of Sikh institutions. The decree directs the Sikh community to sever all ties with both individuals and bars them for life from holding positions in Sikh institutions. Chawla will remain expelled unless he proves his innocence and appears before Akal Takht. The clergy meeting included Harmandar Sahib granthi Giani Kewal Singh, Takht Damdama Sahib jathedar Giani Tek Singh, Akal Takht granthi Giani Gurbakhsheesh Singh, and Bhai Mangal Singh. The FIR was registered under Sections 64 (rape), 127(2) (wrongful confinement), and 351(2) (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Although registered in August, details surfaced only recently, after which Chawla reportedly fled to Canada. He resigned from his SGPC and SAD posts, calling the allegations a deep-rooted conspiracy. In the case of Malkit, the Sikh clergy said, "Malkit Singh was serving on a respectful and responsible post of the Sikh institution. Taking departmental action, the SGPC had already suspended him. Levelling such serious charges against a person acquiring such a respectful post hurts the dignity of the entire community. Apart from severing ties with him, complete ban is imposed on him working in the Sikh institutions for entire life". However, Sikh bodies say that action against Chawla and Malkit is not enough. They are demanding answers from SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami regarding how the complainant was able to stay in the serais for several months and why she was being "facilitated" by the SGPC. Responding to a question, Gargaj said the SGPC should also conduct a high-level probe into the matter at its own level. : The SAD on Sunday accepted resignation tendered by Chawla who has been booked last month for allegedly raping a woman. He tendered his resignation last week. Party's senior leader Daljit Singh Cheema said the resignation has been accepted and Chawla has been divested of all the positions in the party. He termed the turn of events as "unfortunate," adding that the truth will be revealed after investigations into the case. "The allegations are of serious nature and the party took no time to take action against Chawla," he added....