Jagtar Singh Johal, a British-Sikh human rights activist accused of terrorism, has been cleared of all charges in a case in Punjab. The court rejected allegations brought against Johal by Indian authorities.
Johal was held in detention for seven years pending judgment, and he must remain in prison as he faces eight separate cases brought by India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA). These cases are essentially duplicates and are based on his alleged confession.
The ruling may create pressure on the UK Foreign Office to secure Johal’s release, considering that no credible evidence was found against him after an exhaustive investigation.
Johal’s lawyers allege that he was forced to sign a blank piece of paper after being subjected to torture by police. He faces a death penalty threat in the duplicate cases against him.
The central allegation in all nine cases is that Johal transferred money to supposed co-conspirators, which was used to fund attacks in Punjab in 2016-17. However, Indian authorities do not claim that Johal was directly involved in the attacks.
Reprieve, the organization that represented Johal in the case, reported that prosecutors provided no credible evidence to support the allegations. They also noted that NIA prosecutors had seven years to build a case but failed to provide physical evidence, email trails, CCTV footage, or records of bank transfers.
Johal’s brother, Gurpreet Singh Johal, stated that the allegations against his brother were baseless and that the court in Punjab has now confirmed this. He called for the UK government to recognize the injustice and take action.
Johal’s Member of Parliament, Douglas McAllister, urged the government to secure Johal’s release. He highlighted the opportunity to resolve the issue with Indian authorities and bring Johal back to his family in Dumbarton.
Dan Dolan, the executive director of Reprieve, emphasized that Johal’s continued imprisonment and potential death sentence would be a mockery of justice. He argued that the remaining cases against Johal violate the principle of double jeopardy and called for their dismissal and his release.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/04/british-sikh-activist-jagtar-singh-johal-acquitted-in-terror-trial
