Punjab police deny British national was tortured

CHANDIGARH: Rejecting allegations of torture of British national Jagtar Singh Johal, arrested in the cases of targeted killings of Hindu leaders, the Punjab police said on Sunday that due process of law was followed at every stage and the accused was allowed access to his counsel, family members and British consular officers.

“Not only did it have sufficient evidence to prove the complicity of Jagtar alias Jaggi in the cases of targeted killings, the police had also ensured that there was no violation of his rights at any stage,” a police spokesperson said on Sunday, trashing allegations of a frame-up and torture.

Johal (Jaggi), a British national of Indian origin who was arrested by the Punjab Police recently after a terror module, allegedly involved in targeted killings of Hindu leaders in the past two years, was busted, has got support from political leaders in Britain and Canada who have urged Indian authorities to get him released.

“Besides being allowed to talk to his family members after his arrest, Jaggi was produced before a Judicial Magistrate within 24 hours of his arrest as laid down under the Criminal Procedure Code. The British High Commission was duly informed about the arrest of Jaggi, whose medical examination was also conducted as required under the procedure,” the spokesperson said.

The British Deputy High Commissioner in Chandigarh was in touch with Punjab’s Director General of Police, said the spokesperson, adding that the envoy did not question the arrest of Jaggi.

“Jaggi has been found by the police to be a staunch supporter of terrorist activities in Punjab,” the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson added that there was a huge pile of evidence against Jaggi, who had been produced before the court several times and taken on police remand as per the court’s orders, before he was sent on judicial remand to Faridkot Jail on November 17.