Punjab CM Hits Out at Foreign Supporters of British National Arrested in India

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has rejected statements coming from United Kingdom, Canada and some other countries regarding the arrest and the alleged torture of Jagtar Singh Johal, a UK National, in a terror module case. The reports are “baseless,” Singh said.

The Indian politician said that the foreign governments had no proof of their claims about the alleged torture of Johal by Punjab Police. “They have no face to do so, as all their allegations are totally baseless, with not an iota of proof to support them,” he said on Nov. 24.

Lashing out at the foreign governments and supporters of Johal for questioning his arrest over alleged terror links, Singh said that no one had approached either the Punjab government or the Indian government regarding the matter. He challenged them to prove their charges of human rights violations of Johal and said that a well-planned conspiracy is at work regarding this whole affair. The CM pointed out that his government was concentrating on maintaining peace and harmony in the state instead of listening to the claims made by foreign forces who did not have a stake in India’s security and development.

According to Singh, the issue has been politicized by some pro-Khalistani elements and some leaders from Punjab are supporting them.

“Radical elements based in Britain and other countries have orchestrated a false and slanderous media campaign against the Punjab government and state police,” he said, adding that India has never interfered in other countries’ policing and legal matters, even when an Indian citizen was involved, and expects the same respect and diplomatic propriety to be followed by other nations.

“From permission to talk to his family to consular access, medical examinations to timely production in court, the due process of law had been followed at every step from the moment he was arrested,” Singh said. He added that the police officers working on the case were receiving death threats targeted at them and their family from such elements over the phone and on social media.

Johal was taken into custody on Nov. 4 along with four others by the Punjab Police when he was visiting India for his wedding.