A SCOT believed to have suffered torture at the hands of the Indian authorities has been denied bail in a move supporters say should “shock the UK Government into action”.
Jagtar Singh Johal, a Dumbarton man known to his friends as Jaggi, was denied bail at the High Court of Delhi in seven cases brough against him by India’s National Investigations Agency.
He was previously granted bail in March 2022, when the High Court of Punjab and Haryana found that his imprisonment without trial for a period of five years at that point had violated his right to justice.
This was appealed by the National Investigations Agency but the Supreme Court found in his favour, challenging prosecutors to present credible evidence against Jaggi – something they were unable to do.
The most recent denial of bail is at odds with the Supreme Court’s 2023 order and supporters said it is subject to challenge.
Reprieve, a UK human rights charity supporting Jaggi (above), said the cases brought against him – including arms trafficking, conspiracy to commit murder and terrorism – are based on a “false confession” he gave after police allegedly tortured him with electricity and threatened to burn him alive with petrol.
The organisation said that in the nearly seven years he has been imprisoned, prosecutors have failed to build a substantial case against him.
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom regards Jaggi as a victim of politically-motivated stitch-up because of his campaigning work to expose the human rights violations of the hardline Hindutva government of Indian premier Narendra Modi.
Gurpreet Singh Johal (below), Jaggi’s brother who recently met with First Minister John Swinney to discuss the case, said the Indian authorities “can’t come up with any evidence against him because there isn’t any”.
He said: “Today’s ruling is a harsh reminder that the system is stacked against him. Prosecutors are able to drag out the case, potentially for decades, to deny him justice.
“Even these simple bail applications have taken more than a year to be considered because the prosecution has sought so many needless adjournments.”
Reprieve demanded the UK Government take action in light of the ruling.
Harriet McCulloch, the organisation’s deputy director, said: “These bail rulings should shock the UK Government into action.”
She accused India of “keeping a British human rights activist in arbitrary detention” while Jaggi’s home country “stands by”.
McCulloch added: “The UK Government should be actively seeking his release, doing whatever it takes – the important thing is to get him out of prison.”
The UK Government was approached for comment.
