Brother of Briton detained in India calls on UK Government to ‘do more’
Jagtar Singh Johal, who was detained in 2017, was acquitted in one case this week but still faces other charges against him.
The UK Government has been urged to “do more” to secure the return of a British citizen who has been detained in India for more than seven years.
Jagtar Singh Johal’s family celebrated a “major milestone” in their campaign to return him when he was cleared on Tuesday of one of the cases against him.
But Mr Johal, a Sikh activist from Dumbarton, near Glasgow, still faces a number of other cases and his brother has called on the UK Government to act to prevent him from “languishing in an Indian jail for another decade”.
Gurpreet Singh Johal said: “Our position, my family’s position, is that the UK Government now need to do more to bring Jagtar back, because if they don’t act then there is a double jeopardy element where my brother would be tried on eight cases on the same facts where one court has found him to be not guilty.”
But speaking on BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme on Wednesday, he added: “That does not take away that for seven years and four months my brother has been in prison, continues to be in prison, and he hasn’t been convicted of any of the charges that have been put against him.
“Jagtar is British born and bred and the Government haven’t done as much as they could.”
However he said Tuesday’s acquittal means “the light at the end of the tunnel is getting lighter”, adding: “We believe with the political will from the UK Government, we could bring Jagtar back home sooner rather than later.
He added the family hope this decision can now “result in hopefully the UK Government coming forward and protecting a citizen”.
Jagtar Singh Johal was in Punjab, northern India, for his wedding in 2017 when his family said he was arrested and bundled into an unmarked car.
He is said to have been tortured, including with electric shocks, and faces the death penalty because of his campaigning for Sikh rights.
He said he was forced to sign a blank confession after being tortured and made to record a video which was broadcast on Indian TV.
The 37-year-old has been held in solitary confinement in a prison in Delhi since 2019.
In 2022, a United Nations panel acknowledged Mr Johal had been arbitrarily detained in India.
His brother’s comments came after West Dunbartonshire Labour MP Douglas McAllister also demanded action, saying: “The Government must act now to secure Jagtar’s release.
“This is a unique opportunity to secure a resolution with the Indian authorities and bring this young British man back to his family in Dumbarton.
“Without decisive diplomatic action, he faces being imprisoned for decades while the remaining trials drag on, despite the complete lack of credible evidence against him.”
A spokesperson for the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office said: “We welcome the progress in the case.
“The UK Government remains committed to working for faster progress on Jagtar’s case, and the FCDO continue to work to support Mr Johal and his family.”
The spokesperson added that Foreign Secretary David Lammy met Mr Johal’s brother, his MP and a representative of the campaign group Reprieve – which is working for Mr Johal’s release – on October 20 2024.
