Scot ‘back in the hands of police who tortured him’
A SCOT arrested in India and said to have been tortured by police is back in their custody, campaigners said last night.
The Sikh Federation UK said that after a short court hearing, Jagtar Singh Johal was transferred from police detention and placed in judicial custody yesterday afternoon.
But the federation believes that following a series of back-room manoeuvres, the 30-year-old was handed back to the police.
Mr Johal, of Dumbarton, was detained in Jalandhar in the state of Punjab two weeks ago, shortly after his wedding.
Campaigners say no formal charges were brought but the arrest was said to be linked to the killing of Hindu leaders in Punjab. The federation suspects that he was taken by officers from another district to a duty magistrate in Ludhiana yesterday in an attempt to keep him in police custody.
Allegedly, the duty magistrate refused to hand him back to police, but officers got permission from an area magistrate to hold him for a further two days without charge.
The Sikh Federation UK said that an application by lawyers for an independent medical examination to verify allegations of torture was denied by the court.
Bhai Amrik Singh, chairman of the federation, said: ‘The actions of the Indian authorities are a kick in the teeth for the British Government. Indian police under pressure from politicians are demonstrating through their actions they are a law unto themselves and can do almost anything to an innocent British citizen.
‘They are proving that the UK Government is powerless unless it is prepared to raise the stakes and speak out on the appalling treatment by the Indian authorities of a British subject under the gaze of the world media.
‘Any civilised judicial system would allow independent medical examination when there are allegations of torture and the authorities have nothing to hide.
‘The torture victim should always be given the benefit of the doubt by the courts.’
Mr Singh added: ‘The sad truth is torture by Indian police is endemic and the judiciary – prone to political pressure – is unfortuofficial, nately doing its best to help the police hide or continue the brutal torture.’
Mr Johal, who got married in India last month, told lawyers he had been tortured with ‘body separation techniques and electrocution to body parts’.
Campaigners say he had a brief meeting with his in-laws and a UK but that business cards from his lawyers and the British High Commission representative were later taken off him.
Hundreds of Sikhs demonstrated outside the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in London on Thursday in support of Mr Johal.
Yesterday, an FCO spokesman said: ‘Our consular staff in New Delhi have visited a British man who has been detained in Punjab.
‘We have met his family to update them and have confirmed that he now has access to his lawyer.
‘We take all allegations or concerns of torture and mistreatment very seriously and will follow up with action as appropriate.
‘When considering how to act, we will avoid any action that might put the individual in question, or any other person that may be affected, at risk.’
The Scottish Government said it was ‘deeply concerned’ about the detention.
‘They are a law unto themselves’