British Sikh national Jagtar Singh Johal (Jaggi Johl), detained since November 2017 over an alleged plot to kill right-wing Hindu leaders, walked out of the Tihar jail after nine years, days after being granted bail by the Delhi high court .
Johal, from Dumbarton in Scotland, was acquitted of one terrorism-linked charge in March 2025. With his trial still ongoing, a court granted him bail this month on eight remaining charges, which include conspiracy to murder.
The Delhi high court on September 18 granted bail to Johal in seven cases against him under the anti-terror law The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
Johal, who was detained nearly nine years ago while in India for his wedding, walked out of Tihar jail in New Delhi on Thursday, according to people familiar with the development, and was greeted by his parents and grandmother with garlands.
His brother, Gurpreet Singh Johal, said in a statement shared by British charity Reprieve, that “there have been so many setbacks and disappointments in the last nine years that I didn’t dare to believe it until I saw Jagtar walking out of the prison gates with my own eyes”.
“The fight continues, because he’s still on trial and facing the death penalty for something he didn’t do... We’ll keep on fighting until he’s home with us.”
{{/usCountry}}“The fight continues, because he’s still on trial and facing the death penalty for something he didn’t do... We’ll keep on fighting until he’s home with us.”
{{/usCountry}}The National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) cases against Johal arise from a series of allegedly targeted murders and attempted murders in Ludhiana and Jalandhar districts of Punjab in 2016-2017.
Two cases pertain to the killing of Amit Sharma, president of ‘Shri Hindu Takhat’ in Ludhiana in January 2017, and alleged attempted murder in Jalandhar of Jagdish Kumar Gagneja, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh vice-president in Punjab, in August 2016.
The agency accused Johal, who was arrested in 2017, to be an “active member” of the “terrorist gang” Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF).
The probe was transferred from Punjab Police to NIA after offences were identified to be a part of a “transnational conspiracy”.
Several bail conditions have been attached to his release including a bond of ₹500,000 ($5,218) and the surrender of his passport.
He has also been barred from making any statements about the case to the press.
British lawmaker Douglas McAllister, representing Johal’s council area in Scotland, had welcomed the news of his bail last week and said it was time to bring his constituent “back home”.
Independent UN experts warned in April that Johal’s prolonged detention amounted to “psychological torture”, including allegations of electrocution and death threats.