The Delhi High Court has granted bail to Scottish Sikh activist Jagtar Singh Johal, who has been detained in India since 2017. The bail requires him to surrender his passport and bars him from speaking to the media, though federal charges against him remain. A UN panel declared his detention arbitrary in 2022 and Johal has alleged torture; Indian authorities deny these claims. Family members and campaigners welcomed the ruling as a major step, while charities and officials urged accountability and careful implementation of the order.
Delhi High Court Grants Bail To Scottish Sikh Activist Jagtar Singh Johal After Nearly Nine Years
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The Delhi High Court has granted bail to Scottish Sikh activist Jagtar Singh Johal, who has been detained in India since his arrest in 2017. The decision marks a significant legal development after almost nine years in custody without a final conviction.
What the Court Ordered
Court documents confirm the bail order is subject to conditions: Johal must surrender his passport and is prohibited from speaking to the media about his case. He remains subject to federal charges filed by Indian authorities.
Case Background
Johal, 39, from Dumbarton, was arrested in the Punjab region shortly after his wedding in 2017 and accused of involvement in a series of targeted killings of religious and political figures. He was acquitted last year in a separate case that alleged he financially supported the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF), an organisation implicated in violence in Punjab. Despite that acquittal, federal charges remain active and he was previously denied bail in 2024.
Allegations Of Torture And International Concern
A United Nations panel declared Johal's prolonged detention arbitrary in 2022. Johal has alleged he was tortured while in custody; Indian authorities have denied the torture claims and said due process has been followed. Campaigners and legal teams have repeatedly called for an impartial investigation into those allegations.
Family, Campaigners And Official Responses
Supporters say Johal was targeted for his blogging about alleged human rights abuses against the Sikh community and say some prosecution witnesses have given evidence that was later recanted. His brother, Gurpreet Singh Johal, who has campaigned for his release for years, described the bail ruling as "a huge relief" but cautioned that further steps are needed to secure Jagtar's return to Dumbarton.
“It is a really important milestone for Jagtar's campaign,” Gurpreet told BBC Radio Scotland. “It has been a long haul and an expensive rollercoaster.”
A UK government spokesperson said officials are in touch with the family and continue to raise concerns about Johal’s prolonged detention with the Government of India, including calling for a full investigation into allegations of torture. Scotland's First Minister John Swinney called the ruling a "significant and positive development" and urged that Mr Johal be released promptly once legal procedures are completed.
Legal Representation And Rights Groups
Johal is represented in India by lawyer Jaspal Singh Manjhpur, who said he expects Johal to be released in the coming days once bail conditions are implemented. In the UK he is represented by the charities Redress and Reprieve. Reprieve warned that Johal still faces serious federal charges and said the death penalty remains a risk on what the charity described as "trumped up charges." Redress urged accountability for alleged torture and scrutiny of the legal proceedings.
What Comes Next
The immediate steps are administrative: surrendering his passport and complying with the court's restrictions. Campaigners and lawyers will be watching closely to ensure the bail order is implemented without obstruction and that any allegations of mistreatment are independently investigated. For the family, the ruling is a crucial step toward bringing him home, but legal and diplomatic work is likely to continue before Johal can return to Scotland.
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