Scottish activist Jagtar Singh Johal granted bail in India after nearly nine years in detention

Family members of Scottish Sikh activist Jagtar Singh Johal say an Indian court has granted him bail after he spent almost nine years in detention without conviction. Johal, who is from Dumbarton, was arrested in 2017 in connection with alleged terror offences and has remained in custody while legal proceedings continued. According to Indian media cited by campaigners, bail was granted by the Delhi High Court.

Sponsored

His family said they were still waiting for full details of what happens next, but described the decision as a relief. Johal, who is 39, was arrested in the Punjab region just weeks after his wedding in India. He was accused of involvement in a series of targeted killings of religious and political figures, allegations he has denied.

The case has drawn sustained attention because Johal has not been convicted despite years in custody. He was acquitted last year in one case in which he was accused of financially supporting a terror group, but he still faces federal charges brought by the Indian authorities. His imprisonment was recognised by a United Nations panel in 2022 as arbitrary detention, while Johal has said he was tortured.

Indian authorities have denied the torture allegation and have repeatedly said due process is being followed. Supporters of Johal say he was targeted because he blogged about alleged human rights abuses against the Sikh community in India. They also say he was coerced into signing a false confession linked to the killings.

Sponsored

His brother, Gurpreet Singh Johal, has campaigned for years for his release and has urged successive UK governments to provide diplomatic representation in the case. The development is significant because it comes in a long-running legal and diplomatic dispute between Johal's supporters and the Indian state. The case has also become a test of how allegations of arbitrary detention and torture are handled when a foreign national remains in custody for years without a final conviction.

For the UK, it has remained a consular concern, with officials previously saying Johal's prolonged detention had been raised with India at every appropriate opportunity. What remains unclear is the exact scope of the bail order, whether Johal will be released immediately, and what conditions may apply. It is also not yet clear how the decision will affect the federal charges that still hang over him.

His family said they were awaiting further details, and the next steps in the case are likely to determine whether the ruling marks a temporary change or a more substantial shift in his detention.

#JagtarSinghJohal #India #bail #detention #DelhiHighCourt

Sponsored