Brother concerned over Scots activist's arrest in India

Jagtar Singh Johal was in India to celebrate his wedding when he arrested by police in the Punjab

The brother of a Scots activist arrested in India has said he has concerns for his safety.

Jagtar Singh Johal from Dumbarton was taken from a street in the Punjab region by police on 4 November.

His brother Gurpreet Singh Johal said the family had had no access to him since. Jagtar had just got married in India.

Mr Johal said an arrest warrant had been issued for his brother in 2016, but Jagtar had not been in India then.

Gurpreet Singh Johal told BBC Scotland's Good Morning Scotland that October "was a joyful experience for us, everything was going to plan" with the wedding.

"He (Jagtar) had decided to stay in India to spend time with her (his wife)...

"On 4 November, I get a call from my sister-in-law to advise me that my brother has been taken off the streets."

The Sikh Federation UK said on Friday they feared he was targeted because of his work highlighting the Sikh genocide in 1984, and amid claims he was "influencing the youth through social media".

But his brother said a first information report (FIR) held by police - similar to an arrest warrant - did not tally with when Jagtar had been in India.

The family had holidayed in India in April but had not been in the country the year before, he said.

'No issues'

"He spent seven weeks in India in 2017 and ... he exited India at that point and there were no issues," said Gurpreet Singh Johal.

"He's been in India from the 2 October to the 4 November - so we do not know what's happened and why this has happened.

"Allegedly this FIR report was lodged in 2016."

Mr Johal said his brother had been taken to court the day after his detention, when police had wanted to remand him for 15 days but his solicitor had successfully argued for five days.

When he appeared again in court last Friday he was not given any legal representation, according to his brother.

"The police moved in front of the judge within minutes and extended the remand for another four days."

The detained man is due to go back to court on Tuesday.

Mr Johal said he had raised concerns about his brother's "welfare and safety" with the British High Commission.

"The Punjab police is known for its torture, taking people in on remand etc," he said.

"The biggest concern has been that we have not had any access or any sight of him since he was - I would still call it abducted - on 4 November."

Martin Docherty-Hughes, SNP MP for West Dunbartonshire, has been supporting the family.

He said he was "deeply concerned about the circumstances of Jagtar Singh Johal's arrest and imprisonment in India".