Scotland – The Scotsman, June 18, 2026
Brother of Scot reveals they have not been able to speak for seven months
Foreign secretary Yvette Cooper has been urged to take “much stronger action” to secure the release of a Scottish man who has been arbitrarily detained in India for more than eight years.
Scores of MPs and two peers from across the political divide at Westminster have written to Ms Cooper to ask if she is treating the plight of Jagtar Singh Johal as a “matter of urgent priority.”
It comes as the 39 year-old’s brother revealed he has not been able to speak to him for seven months, with video calls also barred by Indian authorities.
Mr Johal, from Dumbarton, was arrested after his wedding in Punjab in northern India in November 2017, since which time he has been held over alleged terror offences.
The central allegation is that he transferred money in the knowledge the money would be used to fund a series of attacks against Hindu nationalists and other religious leaders. However, Mr Johal and his family have long maintained his innocence, and say he was subjected to a coerced confession before being confronted with a slew of further charges.
