Government had been ‘determined’ to raise case of Scot held in India – Alexander

The UK Government had been “determined” to raise the case of a Scottish activist who is detained in India in talks with Narendra Modi, the Scottish Secretary has said.

During his visit to India this week, the Prime Minister discussed the imprisonment of Jagtar Singh Johal with his Indian counterpart.

Mr Johal is a Sikh activist from Dumbarton near Glasgow who was arrested in India in 2017, just weeks after his wedding there.

He was acquitted earlier this year in a case in which he was accused of financially supporting a terror group, but he still faces federal charges from the Indian authorities.

Supporters say he has been arbitrarily detained on politically-motivated charges.

The Foreign Secretary is expected to meet the families of Mr Johal and others in the coming weeks.

Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander was asked about Mr Johal’s case as he spoke to the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland radio programme on Friday.

Mr Alexander said the issue had been brought up during the “constructive bilateral meeting between the two prime ministers” on Thursday.

He added: “The next stage in the process is the Foreign Secretary is going to be in touch with the family.

“You would expect that they have a right to hear directly in terms of what work is still under way.

“It’s ultimately a matter for the Indian authorities. But given he’s a UK citizen, we were determined to raise that consular case, and I can give you that assurance that that was exactly what happened yesterday when we were in Mumbai.”

Speaking on Thursday, Mr Johal’s family said the UK Government must offer more than “empty talk”.

Mr Johal’s elder brother, Gurpreet Singh Johal, said: “The lack of detail and the lack of progress is extremely disappointing for the family – especially Jagtar’s wife who will spend her eighth wedding anniversary without her husband.

“I will meet the Foreign Secretary next month and hopefully agree a plan of action.

“In the meantime I guess we just have to hope that when the Prime Minister says that he’s raising Jagtar’s case, that means he’s working to get him home. It would be shattering if this turns out to be more empty talk.”