Jagtar Singh Johal, a British Sikh activist, has been in an Indian jail for eight years where he alleges that he has been subjected to torture and had sentimental items confiscated by officers which have never been returned
Downing Street has called for “faster progress” in the case of a British man who has now spent eight years behind bars in India.
Jagtar Singh Johal, a Sikh activist hailing from Dumbarton near Glasgow, was apprehended by Indian authorities on 4 November 2017, mere weeks after his wedding in the South Asian nation, and has been imprisoned ever since.
Earlier this year, he was cleared of charges accusing him of financially backing a terrorist group, but he continues to face federal charges from the Indian authorities, which his supporters argue are essentially duplicate cases.
The 38 year old alleges that he has been subjected to torture, and his imprisonment was recognised as arbitrary detention by a UN panel in 2022.
His family and the legal advocacy group Reprieve assert that he has been detained on politically-motivated charges due to his vocal concerns about the treatment of India’s Sikh community.
Reprieve has also disclosed for the first time that Mr Johal’s wedding ring and a gold chain – the last gift he received from his mother before her passing – have gone missing at the hands of the Punjab authorities, after they were seized upon his arrest.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesperson informed reporters that Sir Keir Starmer had “consistently raised consular cases, including Jagtar Singh Johal”, with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, including during their meeting last month.
The spokesperson further stated: “We will continue to make clear to the Government of India that faster progress is needed, and we are clear that a resolution must include an investigation into Mr Johal’s allegations of torture.”
When questioned about the lack of resolution in eight years, the spokesperson responded: “As I say, the Prime Minister has consistently raised this case, among others. We continue to make our position clear to the Government of India.”
As his family commemorates eight years without Mr Johal, Reprieve disclosed documents where Punjab police admitted they cannot locate possessions confiscated from him at the time of his initial arrest. This includes a gold wedding ring and a gold chain reportedly valued at £12,000, which were gifts from his mother.
Mr Johal’s wife, Gurpreet Kaur, expressed: “It is impossible to describe the pain of being separated from Jagtar for so long. We were just beginning our life together, full of hope and love.
“When I look at the picture of us dancing, so happy, with the rings on our fingers symbolising our vows to each other, it makes me unbearably sad. I think of the years, the life that has been taken away from us. I don’t care about the gold chain or even the ring – I just need Jagtar back to start our married life together.”
His brother, Gurpreet Singh Johal, on the other hand, stated it “should be clear by now” that the Indian authorities will only free his brother “if the UK Government insists on it”.
He further added: “The Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary are the two people who can make it happen – and I’ll be stressing this when I meet Yvette Cooper in the coming weeks.”
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