British Khalistani activist Jagtar Singh Johal walks free after nearly 9 years in Indian custody, but must remain in country

New Delhi: The British Khalistani Sikh activist, Jagtar Singh Johal, was released from Tihar jail on Thursday after spending nearly nine years in Indian custody without a conviction. His release follows bail granted by the Delhi high court in seven cases linked to alleged targeted killings in Punjab.

However, according to his bail conditions, he must remain in India while the proceedings continue.

Johal, 39, from Dumbarton in Scotland, emerged from the prison complex and was welcomed by his parents-in-law, who embraced him and presented him with flowers and an orange saropau, a traditional Sikh garment of honour. According to a BBC report, he thanked the almighty as he walked through the prison gates.

The release came 13 days after the high court’s September 18 bail ruling, with his lawyers having to seek further judicial intervention to secure his exit. His counsel, Jaspal Singh Manjhpur, told Times of India that they filed a habeas corpus petition challenging his continued detention despite the bail order.

The report said the bail bonds were submitted on September 19 and approved on September 28, following which a special National Investigation Agency court issued release orders. Jail authorities nevertheless withheld his release, citing a central government notification under Section 268 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, prompting the approach to the high court.

Johal was arrested in Punjab in November 2017, weeks after travelling to India for his wedding, over allegations connecting him to a series of killings of religious and political figures. Indian investigators accuse him of involvement with the Khalistan Liberation Force, an armed separatist organization seeking a separate Sikh state, and he denies the allegations.

Among the accusations is that he travelled to Paris in 2013 and handed approximately £3,000 to the organization. The prosecution alleges that he participated in a wider conspiracy behind targeted killings in Ludhiana and Jalandhar during 2016–2017, intended to destabilize Punjab’s law-and-order situation.

The September 18 ruling, delivered by a bench comprising Justice Navin Chawla and Justice Ravinder Dudeja, followed an earlier rejection of bail in 2024. After the matter reached the Supreme Court, the high court was asked to reconsider his appeals.

In granting relief, the bench considered his prolonged imprisonment and the prospect of further substantial delays before the trials could conclude. The court also gave weight to his March 4, 2025, acquittal by a Moga court in a case involving similar allegations.

The scale of the unfinished proceedings was significant: only 40 prosecution witnesses had been examined, with another 123 awaiting examination, according to the court order reviewed by Sky News. The bail ruling permits Johal to defend himself outside prison; it does not determine his guilt or end the pending prosecutions.

His release is subject to extensive safeguards, including a ₹5 lakh personal bond, two sureties of the same amount and surrender of his passport. He must report to the investigating officer every fortnight, attend court unless exempted and refrain from contacting witnesses or interfering with evidence.

The court also restricted his communications and prohibited public statements about the merits of the cases, their evidence, witnesses or trials. He must keep his designated telephone number switched on and provide advance written notice before changing his residence or contact details.

The case has drawn sustained attention in Britain, where Johal’s family and supporters have pressed successive governments to intervene over his detention. His family says he was targeted for blogging about alleged abuses against Sikhs and alleges that he was tortured and forced to confess, while Indian authorities have denied torture and maintained that due process has been followed.

His brother, Gurpreet Singh Johal, who has led the campaign for his release, said repeated setbacks had made it difficult to believe the news until he saw Johal leave prison. For the family, bail brings an end to nearly nine years behind bars, but their campaign continues as the outstanding cases prevent his return to Scotland.