Jagtar Singh Johal Walks Free From Tihar Jail After Nine Years in Detention

Jagtar Singh Johal Walks Free From Tihar Jail After Nine Years in Detention

Jagtar Singh Johal walked out of Delhi’s Tihar Jail on Thursday evening after nearly nine years in custody, ending one of the longest detentions of a British national held abroad on terror charges. The 39-year-old Sikh activist, known as Jaggi, was released on bail after a fortnight-long standoff in which prison officials defied a Delhi High Court order.

Johal left the prison at about 6pm and travelled with relatives to Gurdwara Bangla Sahib to offer prayers. He thanked the Almighty but declined to comment on the cases, which remain before the courts.

Jagtar Singh Johal: nine years without a full trial

Johal, a Scottish-born activist from Dumbarton near Glasgow, was arrested in 2017 shortly after his wedding in India. He was held on terrorism allegations, including claims that he financially supported a terror group. He was never fully tried.

For almost nine years he remained in pre-trial detention at the high-security Tihar complex. Last year he was acquitted in one case in which he was accused of funding a terror group, but he still faces federal charges tied to the same allegations. Those cases could take decades to resolve and carry the death penalty.

UN experts called his imprisonment arbitrary detention and said he endured “a form of psychological torture”. India has denied the claim and says due process is being followed.

The habeas corpus plea that forced his release

The Delhi High Court granted bail on September 18, but prison authorities refused to release him for two weeks.

The deadlock broke on Thursday. His defence team moved a fresh application in the morning, and the court ordered his release before the end of the day. The family had also filed a habeas corpus petition, and a judge warned the jail of contempt of court.

His brother Gurpreet Singh Johal, a Scottish solicitor who campaigned for his release for nine years, said: “There have been so many setbacks and disappointments in the last nine years that I didn’t dare to believe it until I saw Jagtar walking out of the prison gates with my own eyes.”

Dan Dolan, deputy executive director of the charity Reprieve, said: “While tonight is the first night in almost nine years that Jagtar Singh Johal is not caged in a prison cell, he still has the threat of a death sentence hanging over him.”

A diplomatic case for the UK government

British MPs pressed his case, Reprieve campaigned for him, and the Scottish government raised it with Indian authorities.

John Swinney, Scotland’s first minister, has welcomed the release. “The Scottish government has consistently called for Mr Johal’s release and repeatedly raised concerns about his prolonged detention, including in light of the findings of the UN working group on arbitrary detention,” he said.

The UK government said it was in contact with the family, had raised concerns about his prolonged detention and the torture claims, and would continue consular support.

On bail, he has surrendered his passport, must remain in India, and has given an undertaking not to speak to the media. He said he would stay in New Delhi and seek court permission before travelling to Punjab.

His brother said the fight was not over: “Tomorrow morning, the fight continues, because he’s still on trial and facing the death penalty for something he didn’t do… We’ll keep on fighting until he’s home with us. Now it’s over to the UK government to get it done.”

Frequently asked questions

Who is Jagtar Singh Johal?

Jagtar Singh Johal, 39, is a British Sikh activist from Dumbarton, Scotland. Friends call him Jaggi. Arrested in India in 2017, he spent nearly nine years in pre-trial detention at Delhi’s Tihar Jail.

Why did his release take two weeks after bail was granted?

Bail was granted on September 18, but officials refused to release him. A habeas corpus petition and a contempt warning finally secured his release on Thursday evening.

Can Jagtar Singh Johal return to Britain?

Not yet. He must remain in India, has surrendered his passport, and cannot speak to the media. His trials continue.