14th November 2017 • article
British citizen Jagtar Singh Johal was "physically" tortured in Indian jail says his lawyer
Image: Family picture. His wife's face has been pixelated
A lawyer representing British citizen Jagtar Singh Johal today said his client was being "tortured physically and mentally" in Indian custody.
Johal was arrested in Punjab last week just after his marriage had taken place. As Barfi Culture earlier reported, police in Punjab have alleged he was part of a "terror module" behind a series of high-profile murders across the state.
But authorities have neither charged him, nor provided evidence to support their claims. In another development, it emerged that another man had already admitted to the murder Johal was accused of by the state's Chief Minister.
A report by the IANS news service stated a man named Saraj Sandhu took responsibility for murdering a prominent Hindu nationalist leader, saying it was in retaliation for a family dispute. Punjab Police had been left 'red faced' it added.
Authorities in Punjab were granted another three days to keep Jagtar Singh Johal in custody this morning after they presented him in court.
His lawyer Jaspal Singh Manjhpur told Sikh Sayasat website his client was being "tortured" by police in custody.
"Jaggi [Jagtar] told me that he was tortured physically and mentally as his legs were forcibly stretched beyond limits and he was given electric shorts [sic] on nipples, ears and private organ," he wrote in an email.
His team are now pushing for him to be examined by medical practitioners. Johal was also allowed by the court to meet with his in-laws and family in Punjab.
Meanwhile, the Sikh MP Tan Dhesi has written to the Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson regarding Johal's detention.
But Johal's MP in West Dumbartonshire, Martin Docherty-Hughes, said he was willing to bypass the "irrelevant" Foreign Secretary if needed.
"I will work with anybody who is willing to help my constituent. If I have to go beyond [Johnson] I will and that means working with the High Commissioner in India directly.
“He [Johnson] is irrelevant to me. There is a young man from Dumbarton in a jail without legal representation or access to the consular service. That is what matters."
Johal was arrested in Punjab last week just after his marriage had taken place. As Barfi Culture earlier reported, police in Punjab have alleged he was part of a "terror module" behind a series of high-profile murders across the state.
But authorities have neither charged him, nor provided evidence to support their claims. In another development, it emerged that another man had already admitted to the murder Johal was accused of by the state's Chief Minister.
A report by the IANS news service stated a man named Saraj Sandhu took responsibility for murdering a prominent Hindu nationalist leader, saying it was in retaliation for a family dispute. Punjab Police had been left 'red faced' it added.
Authorities in Punjab were granted another three days to keep Jagtar Singh Johal in custody this morning after they presented him in court.
His lawyer Jaspal Singh Manjhpur told Sikh Sayasat website his client was being "tortured" by police in custody.
"Jaggi [Jagtar] told me that he was tortured physically and mentally as his legs were forcibly stretched beyond limits and he was given electric shorts [sic] on nipples, ears and private organ," he wrote in an email.
His team are now pushing for him to be examined by medical practitioners. Johal was also allowed by the court to meet with his in-laws and family in Punjab.
Meanwhile, the Sikh MP Tan Dhesi has written to the Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson regarding Johal's detention.
But Johal's MP in West Dumbartonshire, Martin Docherty-Hughes, said he was willing to bypass the "irrelevant" Foreign Secretary if needed.
"I will work with anybody who is willing to help my constituent. If I have to go beyond [Johnson] I will and that means working with the High Commissioner in India directly.
“He [Johnson] is irrelevant to me. There is a young man from Dumbarton in a jail without legal representation or access to the consular service. That is what matters."
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Barfi Culture is a news-magazine on people of South Asian heritage living in Europe and North America. We don't cover South Asia directly.
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