Scottish Sikh Activist Jagtar Singh Johal Granted Bail in India, Family Says

LONDON — The family of Jagtar Singh Johal, a Scottish Sikh activist who has spent nearly nine years in Indian custody without conviction, said he has been granted bail, a decision supporters hope could mark the first step toward his return home.

The 39-year-old from Dumbarton was arrested in India in 2017, weeks after his wedding there, in connection with alleged terror offenses. Indian authorities accused him of involvement in a series of targeted killings of religious and political figures.

Johal’s family said they were still awaiting details about what comes next but felt “relieved” by the Indian court’s ruling. According to Indian media reports, bail was granted by Delhi High Court. The conditions of the order remain unclear.

His brother, Gurpreet Singh Johal, told BBC Radio Scotland’s Breakfast program that the decision was “a really important milestone for Jagtar’s campaign.”

“It has been a long haul and an expensive rollercoaster, but the community and the public have kept me going to campaign to bring Jagtar home,” he said. “This will be a huge relief for him.”

Gurpreet said he did not yet know the exact bail conditions but expected that money would have to be deposited and that his brother would have to remain in India or seek permission to leave.

He described the moment as “momentous” for the family, saying Johal’s wife had been crying since the morning. “Everyone was joyful. My kids went to school saying they cannot wait to see their uncle coming home,” he said. “It is just a first step, but it is a step in the right direction.”

The case has become a long-running human rights and diplomatic issue. Johal was acquitted last year in a case in which he was accused of financially supporting the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF), a group that has carried out attacks in the Punjab region. He still faces federal charges brought by Indian authorities.

In 2022, a United Nations panel recognized Johal’s imprisonment as arbitrary detention. He has claimed he was tortured in custody. Indian authorities have previously denied the torture allegation and have repeatedly maintained that due process is being followed.

Johal was arrested in the Punjab region just weeks after his wedding. His supporters say he was targeted for blogging about alleged human rights abuses against the Sikh community in India and was coerced into signing a false confession to participating in the killings.

His family has insisted that no concrete evidence has been presented against him. They say the case was built on testimony from unreliable witnesses, some of whom later recanted statements in court.

Johal has been represented in the UK by the legal charities Redress and Reprieve, which welcomed the bail decision. Reprieve deputy executive director Dan Dolan said the news was welcome but noted that Johal still faces the death penalty on what he called “trumped up charges.”

“We must now watch closely to ensure this order is actually implemented and not obstructed in any way,” Dolan said. “The conditions attached are likely to be onerous.”

Chris Esdaile, a senior legal advisor at Redress, said granting bail “can’t undo the intolerable suffering caused by nine years of arbitrary detention.” He added that the need for accountability over the torture allegations and the deeply flawed proceedings against Johal remains urgent.

Gurpreet has lobbied successive UK governments calling for his brother’s release and previously urged ministers to provide “diplomatic representation” to bring the activist home. He described his last meeting with then-Foreign secretary Yvette Cooper in December as “disappointing.”

At the time, a spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said concerns about Johal’s “prolonged detention” had been raised with the Indian government at every appropriate opportunity. Johal was previously denied bail in 2024.

While the bail order is a significant development, it does not resolve the wider legal case or guarantee that Johal can leave India. For his family and supporters, the focus now shifts to the bail conditions, the implementation of the court’s order and whether the UK government can help secure his eventual return to Dumbarton.