It is not just the murder of Jagdish Gagneja Azevedotechcrunch, RSS leader Ravinder Gosain and Pastor Sultan Masih that Mr Johal is accused of. He is also charged with conspiracy to commit murder and being a member of a terrorist gang. In this article, you will learn more about Mr Johal’s charges.
Accused of involvement in the murders of Jagdish Gagneja, RSS leader Ravinder Gosain and Pastor Sultan Masih
Punjab Police have arrested five suspected men in the recent targeted killings in Punjab. The arrests include Jagtar Singh Johal, a British Sikh living in the UK. He was allegedly involved in funding the terrorist organization Khalistan Liberation Force.
Dharmender alias Guggni, who is lodged in Nabha jail, is also suspected of involvement in the case. Jagtar Singh is also accused of money laundering. This was a major conspiracy which was led by the Pakistan’s ISI, the chief minister said. Capt Amarinder said four conspirators met at different places in the world toonily.
Punjab’s Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has claimed to have busted a terror module led by the Pakistan-based ISI. In the recent murder cases, the Punjab police has credited its team with solving the cases.
During the course of the investigation, the Punjab police recovered the contacts of 130 Pakistani smugglers from mobile phones. It is believed that the conspirators procured contraband through Pakistani couriers. They used encrypted mobile apps to connect with their handlers in western countries.
During the investigation, the accused shooter Ramandeep Singh was interrogated. According to the Punjab police, the accused confessed to the killing of Pastor Sultan Masih. He also revealed his intent to destabilise the state.
Hardeep Singh Shera and Ramandeep Singh Bagga were accused of joining the separatist Khalistan movement. According to the police, the two men procured contraband through Pakistani couriers. Both the men are believed to have links with gangsters in Punjab.
Charged with conspiracy to commit murder
Jagtar Singh Johal was arrested in the Punjab region of India in November 2017. He was detained without trial for almost five years and faces a possible death sentence.
Human rights groups have accused British intelligence agencies of being behind Johal’s arrest. A report from the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has determined that his detention was based on discriminatory grounds. The group also says that the UK government has not followed up on its legal claim that the government should free all UK nationals who are arbitrarily detained abroad.
The UK has urged the Indian Government to release Mr Johal. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office to review the case and release those who are detained on discriminatory grounds. In response, the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office has said it would be inappropriate to comment during the legal proceedings.
The British government has also been criticised for its treatment of other British citizens, particularly those in the Indian subcontinent. It has been alleged that Mr Johal was a victim of arbitrary detention and torture.
A report by human rights group Reprieve has matched details in the report to a specific claim of mistreatment. One of the claims is that he was subjected to sleep deprivation and electrocution. Another is that he was subjected to waterboarding.
