West Dunbartonshire Council unanimously agrees to back the release of Jagtar Singh Johal

Image courtesy: sikh24.com

The government has been urged to do something about the release of Dumbarton man Jagtar Singh Johal, who has been unlawlfully held captive in India as a prisoner since 2017.

However, despite multiple appelas, the government has said that it cannot comment on a pending legal case.

Recently, media reports have stated that human rights group Reprieve that there is compelling evidence of the British intelligence agencies tipping off the Indian government which led to his subsequent arrest and torture.

The British Sikh man was officially charged with conspiracy to commit murder and being a member of a terrorist gang in May this year.

He will receive a full list of charges against him next month and is likely to get a death penalty.

Johal’s brother, who has been campaigning against his arrest in the UK, has managed to get unanimous support from the West Dunbartonshire council after being elected as a councillor to push the UK Government and bring him back to the country. He has also urged councils across Scotland to support them.

Reprieve revealed that a report by the watchdog that oversees the intelligence agencies had dates and details matching the arrest of Johal, and adds that “MI5 passed intelligence to a liaison partner via the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6)” and “The subject of the intelligence was arrested by the liaison partner in their country. The individual told the British Consular Official that he had been tortured.”

Even though Johal’s name has not been mentioned in the report, the legal action non-governmental organisation’s investigators have said that it is about him.

On the afternoon of 31 August, a motion calling on the Foreign Secretary of the UK to push for his release was presented at the West Dunbartonshire’s council meeting by Labour councillor David McBride.

McBride said in the meeting, “Since the motion was circulated members may be aware of the media reports of the UK intelligence agencies MI5 and MI6 provided a tip off that led to the detention and torture of of Jagtar.

“A legal case has been launched on behalf of Jagtar by the groups Reprieve and Redress. Both organisations are calling for his immediate release and for the government to disclose the role they played in providing this information.”

The possibility of Johal getting a death penalty in India is very high, the council heard, as an Indian court sentenced 38 people to death in a single case along with the political climate in India that might contribute to it.

SNP councillor Jonathon McColl expressed the council’s unanimous support to Johal’s brother and family in the motion, saying, “I have to say the revelations about the activities of our own intelligence services are quite shocking to say the least.

“Within the motion, it says that it is UK Government policy to call for the release of arbitrarily detained UK nationals overseas but I think we now know why they didn’t do that.

“Perhaps they were concerned that the revelation would come to light. It now has. Regardless of any case, it doesn’t matter if there is a wealth of evidence against the individual and intelligence services believe that individual is guilty, it is absolutely abhorrent that any state actor provide information that leads to the torture of an individual.

“Time will tell and light will be shone on this as to whether our intelligence services knew that was the practice of the authorities in India who they were providing this information to. It will be interesting to see if that was the case and whether despite all of the efforts of Jagtar’s family and many others who are supporting the family, it is falling on deaf ears.

“I understand why councillor Johal had to declare an interest, given that we are talking about his brother but I think it would be appropriate to make it clear that we are all behind him and his family.”

Following the discussion the council decided to write to COSLA regarding the case and distribute copies of the motion to all councils across Scotland, asking them for their support.