British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s acknowledgement that he believed that UK national Jagtar Singh Johal, alias Jaggi Johal, has been “arbitrarily detained” in a Delhi jail has put the spotlight on the “arrested” Scotland-based Sikh activist.
Jaggi Johal has been lodged in prison since 2017 and is being investigated by the National Investigation Agency on suspicion of being involved im targeted killings carried out by the banned Khalistani Liberation Force (KLF). Kamaldeep Singh Brar explains who Jaggi Johal is and what are the cases against him
Who is Jagtar Singh aka Jaggi Johal?
Jagtar Singh Johal (34) is a UK national and a resident of Dumbarton, Scotland. According to his family, Johal was an online activist and contributed to a magazine and website documenting the alleged persecution of the Sikh religious minority in India. Johal’s activities consisted translating into English the stories of Sikhs who had allegedly faced persecution in India.
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Arrest
Johal arrived in India on October 2, 2017, and got married to a Punjabi woman on October 18. His brother Gurpreet Singh Johal and parents flew back to the UK after the marriage, but Jaggi chose to stay on. He was arrested on November 4, 2017, from Raman Mandi town of Jalandhar district by a team of Punjab Police. He was initially arrested in connection with an arms recovery case registered at Baghapurana in December 2016 and was subsequently named as an accused in seven targeted attack cases, five of which were murder charges (targeted killings) and two were attempt to murder charges (attempted targeted killings) where activists and members of right wing Hindu outfits, the Dera Sirsa followers and even a Christian activist (a pastor) were targeted.
What was his role in the targeted killings?
According to the NIA, in June, 2013, the Khalistani Liberation Force (KLF) militants Harminder Singh alias Mintoo (now deceased) and Hardeep Singh took a tour of France and Germany by road. When they were in Paris, two men, Mintoo and one Gurjinder Singh alias Shastri, went to the Paris airport to receive Jagtar Singh Johal, who had arrived from the UK. Johal had been sent to France from the UK by one Gursharanbir Singh to deliver €3000 to Mintoo. A part of this money was given by Mintoo to Hardeep Singh to motivate him to join the KLF and recruit him for executing the conspiracy of targeted killings. Johal was hence accused of providing funds to militants.
In January 2021, Delhi Police took remand of Jaggi Johal and accused him of establishing contact from Tihar jail with gangster Sukmeet Pal Singh alias Sukh Bhikhariwal, who was in Dubai. Bhikhariwal was arrested in December 2020 after which Johal was questioned. Later Delhi police didn’t name Johal in its challan produced against Sukmeet Pal.
Advocacy for Johal’s release
Jaggi Johal’s British family has been lobbying for his release ever since he was arrested in 2017. On November 4, 2018. Apart from Akal Takht Sahib and Shiromani Gurudwara Parbhandak Committee, many mainstream politicians in Britain, Canada and Punjab have often taken a sympathetic stand on Jaggi Johal.
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incidentally, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, when he was the Sangrur MP in 2017 had said, “If Indian agencies had been keeping an eye on Jaggi for one year, then the British government should have been consulted in this regard(the arrest of Johal).” Mann had also stated that the manner in which Johal was arrested was liable to create fear in the minds of NRIs about sending their children to Punjab.
In May this year, the UN Human Rights Council’s Working Group on Arbitrary Detention had also published a report detailing Johal’s case, deeming his detention as arbitary.
What does Johal’s lawyer say
Johal Jaggi’s lawyer, Jaspal Singh Manjhpur, said, “A total 11 cases have been registered against Jaggi Johal in India — eight of which are being investigated by the NIA, two by Punjab Police and one by Delhi Police Special Cell. Chargesheets have been filed in all the cases. However, the charges have been framed only in one case that was registered by Punjab Police immediately after his arrest from Jalandhar in 2017. Johal has already secured bail in three cases against him, including the one in which charges are framed. He was also discharged in one case that was registered by Punjab Police.”
FAQs
What did Jaggi Singh do? ›
Jaggi Singh is a Canadian anti-globalization and social justice activist. He is an anarchist. Singh has worked with groups such as Solidarity Across Borders (a local migrant-rights organization) and the No One Is Illegal collective, among others.
What happened to Jagtar Singh Johal? ›He is transferred to Tihar prison on 25 May 2019. July 2019: charges are dropped against Mr Johal in one of the cases against him. 7 January 2021: Mr Johal is arrested in a new case by the Delhi Police.
What is Jaggi accused of? ›He was initially arrested in connection with an arms recovery case registered at Baghapurana in December 2016. Subsequently, he was named as an accused in seven cases, five of those being murder charges (targeted killings) and two being attempt to murder charges (attempted targeted killings).
Who is Jaggi Singh? ›Jaggi Singh is a musician, singer, and lyricist, who works in Punjabi films. He has featured in movies like Naam Yaad Rakhi (2015), and Faraar (2015).
What did Jagtar Singh do? ›What did Jagtar Singh Johal do? Jagtar is a human rights activist who – through online blogging – highlighted human rights abuses against the Sikh population in India. His blog called for accountability for historic anti-Sikh pogroms in 1984 in India.
What is the story of Jagtar Singh Johal? ›Jagtar Singh Johal: A Scottish Sikh in a Punjab jail
Johal's arrest was followed by allegations of his being tortured in custody. Johal has claimed to be a blogger and campaigned for Sikh human rights, which is allegedly said to be why he caught the attention of the Indian authorities.
He is currently lodged in Delhi's Tihar Jail. It's been five years since British national Jagtar Singh Jaggi Johal was arrested in targeted killing cases by Punjab Police, but his trial is yet to take off.
Why is Jagtar Singh Johal detained? ›Jagtar Singh Johal was arrested in India and according to the United Nation's Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has said that Mr Johal has been detained "arbitrarily" and should be released immediately. Jagtar Singh Johal has told the BBC that he had been tortured and forced to sign false confession statements.
Who is Jaggi cast? ›In India, the name "Jaggi" comes from the Sanskrit root word "Jagat" meaning the universe. People with this surname are usually Punjabi (non Sikh, Hindu),Himachal Pradesh and Jammu. This surname is of Kshatriya Rajput caste; Kshatriya directly translating to Warrior, and Rajput as Kings Son.
Who is Godman Jaggi? ›Jaggi Vasudev, Anglophone India's star godman, has challenged on more occasions than one that if the accusations of illegal deeds that have followed him around like ardent devotees were ever proved, he would quit India .
What does sadhguru son in law do? ›
Sadhguru's Son In Law Sandeep Narayan Radhe Jaggi's husband South Indian Classical Carnatic Singer.
Who is the Seventhpresident of India? ›Giani Zail Singh ( pronunciation (help·info), born Jarnail Singh; 5 May 1916 – 25 December 1994) was an Indian politician from Punjab who served as the seventh president of India from 1982 to 1987.
Who was DGP of Punjab in 1982? ›| Kanwar Pal Singh Gill | |
|---|---|
| Country | India |
| Allegiance | Indian Police Service |
| Service years | 1958–1995 |
| Rank | Director General of Police |
Lodged in prisons of different states, they were convicted in terror cases. Eight of them have been in jail for 20 years or more. In its recent communication to the Centre, the SGPC attached a list of nine such prisoners, including six convicted for the assassination of former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh.
Who was the first Sikh to hold India's highest public office? ›| Giani Zail Singh | |
|---|---|
| In office 25 July 1982 – 25 July 1987 | |
| Prime Minister | Indira Gandhi Rajiv Gandhi |
| Vice President | Mohammad Hidayatullah R. Venkataraman |
| Preceded by | Neelam Sanjiva Reddy |
Johal is a British Sikh from Dumbarton, Scotland suspected of involvement in numerous political killings in Punjab.