Scots Sikh held in India to face ‘false’ murder plot charge

A SCOTTISH Sikh who has been jailed in India for almost five years has been formally charged with conspiracy to commit murder.

Jagtar Singh Johal, 35, is also accused of being a member of a terrorist gang.

Human rights group Reprieve says he was imprisoned on a false confession with nothing to link him to the charges.

It said India’s Unlawful Activities Prevention Act has been repeatedly used to target Sikh activists.

Reprieve’s director of advocacy, Dan Dolan, said: ‘Jagtar’s detention has been recognised as arbitrary by both the British Prime Minister and a group of UN legal experts. The framing of charges doesn’t change that.

‘He remains imprisoned based on a false confession he signed after days of torture with electricity. There is no physical evidence to support these trumped-up political charges.

‘The judge repeatedly asked prosecutors to produce corroborating evidence, and they were unable to present any, despite the fact they have had over four years to investigate. It would be farcical if it weren’t for the fact that a young man’s life is at stake.’

Mr Johal, pictured, from Dumbarton, was arrested in November 2017 after travelling to Punjab for his wedding.

Elder brother Gurpreet said: ‘Ministers have had almost five years since my brother was abducted to take decisive action to bring him home.

‘Now more than ever, Jagtar needs the UK Government to demand his release.’

More than 140 MPs have written to the Foreign Office urging it to do more to secure Mr Johal’s release, while human rights groups have held protests.