A SCOT detained in India for two years without charge has told his family: “I’ll be back soon.”
Jagtar Singh Johal made the claim in a call to his solicitor brother Gurpreet in their home town Dumbarton.
The lawyer has spoken to The National as the family marks two years since “Jaggi” was detained by plain clothes police.
Despite more than 100 pre-trial hearings, no formal charges have yet been made and no evidence heard against him.
He was bundled into an unmarked vehicle while shopping with his new wife in India’s Punjab region.
Indian authorities claim the Sikh supplied £3000 to a plot which led to the killings of right-wing Hindus, passing the cash over in a trip to France years earlier.
His family believe he was targeted due to his British citizenship and links to Sikh activism, which includes translation work for a website dedicated to atrocities carried out against the Sikh community in 1984.
An investigation into allegations that he was tortured while in police custody has yet to take place and, two years on, international charity Redress insists claims of electrocution and other offences against him are “well-founded”.
However, Indian authorities have dismissed the family’s claims of innocence and, despite not yet presenting this in court, insist they have strong evidence against Jagtar.
READ MORE: Wife of man held in India for more than 500 days tells of 'emotional' UK visit
The Johal family have not seen Jagtar since his arrest and are pressing for Indian authorities to allow a regular meeting with his aunt or father-in-law.
But telephone contact has now been established, with two conversations held in recent weeks.
It is not known when the next call will come, but The National understands that the last took place on September 5, Gurpreet’s birthday, and lasted around five minutes. The father-of-two said: “He phoned from the jail because the British Government had been pushing for him to be able to call the family. It was quick. He said he needed trainers and clothes.
“He was in high spirits as he’s a strong-minded boy.
“He quickly asked what’s happened and to tell everybody he misses them and he’ll be back soon to mess about with his nephews.”
Yesterday saw the start of a week-long drive aimed at drawing attention to the case, with supporters asked to “be Jaggi’s voice” and use the social media hashtag #freejagginow.
Jagtar’s brother, said: “I am not surprised that the Indian authorities have failed to respond to the UN and UK’s calls for an investigation into Jagtar’s allegations of torture. It is clear that India has something to hide, hence they have not allowed the independent medical examination to take place. India has continued to delay the legal proceedings, resulting in Jagtar being incarcerated for two years without being charged.”
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