Jagtar Singh Johal, a British Sikh man, has been granted bail by a Delhi court after being detained in India, according to reports from The Guardian. Johal, a 39-year-old from Scotland, was arrested in November 2017 while visiting Punjab to get married and has since faced alleged terrorism offences.
Bail Ruling in Delhi Court
The Delhi court granted bail to Johal. Johal’s Indian lawyer, Jaspal Singh Manjhpur, said he expects the release to materialize in the coming days. Despite the court’s ruling, Johal remained in custody while judges confirmed his specific bail conditions and bond amounts, as reported by The Guardian.
Johal’s brother, Gurpreet Singh Johal, expressed relief over the decision to The Guardian, noting the extensive legal battles fought at the Supreme Court and High Court over the past two years. “Now, all I can think about is Jagtar walking out of prison,” Gurpreet Singh Johal told The Guardian.
Background of the 2017 Arrest and Detention
Johal traveled to India in late 2017 for his wedding. On November 4, 2017, three weeks after the ceremony, a group of men took him from a car in Jalandhar, placed a hood over his head, and drove him away in an unmarked vehicle, according to reporting by The Guardian. Indian authorities alleged he was involved in funding the Khalistan Liberation Force, a group linked to targeted killings in Punjab.
Throughout his detention, Johal’s family and legal representatives maintained that prosecutors failed to present concrete evidence. According to The Guardian, conspiracy charges carrying largely similar allegations were dismissed by a court in Punjab last year, though Johal remained held in other matters. Reprieve deputy executive director Dan Dolan noted that Johal still faces legal hurdles across multiple cases despite the latest bail orders.
UK Government and Consular Response
The UK government has faced sustained pressure from Johal’s family to secure his release and investigate allegations of torture. According to the sources, a UK government spokesperson stated that officials remain in touch with the Johal family and continue to raise concerns about his prolonged detention with the government of India. The UK side has consistently urged faster progress and a full investigation into Johal’s accounts of mistreatment during custody.
Recently, the UK government appointed Alistair Burt as a special envoy for complex consular cases. Burt has met with Gurpreet Singh Johal in Scotland to discuss the case, though previous foreign secretaries avoided calling publicly for Johal’s release, citing diplomatic protocol regarding foreign judiciaries.
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