UK national currently in Tihar jail: UN group terms terror accused Johal’s arrest ‘arbitrary’, seeks release

Now, the United Nation’s Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has said that Johal was “abducted” and “tortured” in 2017, adding that the probe agencies looking into his case have failed to produce any evidence against him.

The report by the UN group reads: “Johal is a follower of the Sikh faith. He is an online activist and contributed to a magazine and website documenting the persecution of the Sikh religious minority in India…On 4 November 2017, after his wedding in Jalandhar, Punjab, Johal was abducted by 15 unidentified men in Rama Mandi, Jalandhar. The men did not identify themselves as law enforcement officers. They did not present a warrant for Johal’s arrest and did not state the reasons why he was being taken. Between 4 and 7 November 2017, police interrogated and tortured Johal, including using electric shocks, forcing his limbs into painful positions and depriving him of sleep. He was also forced to sign blank papers…Despite Johal having been in detention for three years and three months, the (probe) agency has not commenced trials in any of these nine cases and has not produced any admissible evidence.”

Calling his detention arbitrary, the report adds, “According to UN working group, the deprivation of liberty of Jagtar Singh Johal, being in contravention of articles 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 (1), 18 and 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and articles 9, 14, 18, 19, 21 and 28 of the Covenant, is arbitrary….The Working Group considers that, taking into account all the circumstances of the case, the appropriate remedy would be to release Johal immediately and accord him an enforceable right to compensation and other reparations, in accordance with international law.”

A Punjab Police official, associated with first case registered against Jaggi at Bagapurana, however, said, “Matter is sub-judice and we can’t comment on it. Punjab Police had cracked a difficult case. All the procedures were followed in arrest and Jaggi Johal was never tortured. Punjab Police is a professional force. NIA is also investigating. All should wait for the court to deliver its verdict. Our case has no flaws.”

Jaggi’s British family has been lobbying for his release since first day of his arrest. His brother, Gurpreet Singh Johal, was elected a Labour councillor in the Scottish local elections in Dunbarton recently.

Jaggi’s lawyer, Jaspal Singh Manjhpur, said, “Total 11 cases were registered against Jaggi Johal in India and eight of these cases are being investigated by the NIA, two by Punjab Police and one by Delhi Police Special Cell. Chargesheets have been filed in all the cases, however, the charges are framed only in one case that was registered by Punjab Police immediately after his arrest from Jalandhar. Johal has already secured bail in three cases against him including the one in which charges are framed. He was discharged from one case that was registered by Punjab Police.”

After his arrest in 2017, Punjab Police had claimed that, in his confessional statement, Jaggi Johal had admitted meeting (now deceased) Harminder Singh alias Mintu, in France and giving him 3000 pounds. Police also claimed that he allegedly provided 800 pounds to buy weapons used in target killings in Punjab.

“Police and NIA cases against Johal are based on his confessional statement. They don’t have anything substantial against Johal and they couldn’t bring any evidence in support of alleged confessional statement. Johal is behind bars under the UAPA. Otherwise, he could have faced prosecution while remaining on bail,” alleged Johal’s lawyer Manjhpur.