One figure behind Morecambe's summer takeover sanctioned by government over suspected terrorism links

Martin Macdonald

5 Dec 2025 10:50 CST
5 min read

One of the figures behind the summer takeover of Morecambe has been sanctioned by the United Kingdom government over suspected links to terrorist groups in India.

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In the summer of 2025, the Panjab Warriors group completed a takeover of the National League side, with Gurpreet Singh Rehal as director of marketing and communications.

Singh has been sanctioned and his assets frozen as the government believes he has taken part in terrorist activities such as fundraising and even recruitment and weapons purchasing for two groups - Babbar Khalsa and Babbar Akali Lehar.

Economic Secretary to the Treasury Lucy Rigby KC MP said:

"We will not stand by while terrorists exploit Britain’s financial system. This landmark action shows we are prepared to use every tool at our disposal to choke off funding for terrorism – wherever it occurs and whoever is responsible. The UK stands firmly with peaceful communities against those who promote violence and hatred."

Following the release of the strory, Morecambe FC and Panjab Warriors released a joint statement saying: “An individual who previously held a consultancy role in marketing and communications with our organisations is no longer affiliated with either Morecambe FC or Panjab Warriors.”

There is now zero presence of Singh in any company directory.

When the Panjab Warriors completed their takeover, however, Singh was actually the frontman for the deal and appears in many media releases as well as photos on the club's social media and official website.

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Other Panjab Warriors group members, including Kuljeet Singh Momi, Ropinder Singh and Harjit Singh, are listed as part of Morecambe’s board of directors on the club's site.

A spokesperson from the UK’s independent football regulator (IFR) said: “We are working with relevant authorities and using our statutory information gathering powers to look into this matter urgently.”

This week, Singh posted on his LinkedIn page that he acting in an official capacity for Morecambe, having met with the CEO of the National League, Phil Alexander.

“The last time we spoke was during a very turbulent period in the takeover process, so it was great to reconnect in calmer circumstances,” he wrote.