When some Sikh youth protested Indian High Commissioner’s visit to a Sikh temple in Melbourne, Jagtar Singh Johal’s name came up repeatedly in the angry youth's arguments.
Indian High Commissioner to Australia Mr. AM Gondane was visiting a Sikh Temple in Melbourne when some agitated youths stopped him saying that he would not be allowed to visit the temple as a representative of Indian government.
The reason they cited was the arrest of some Sikhs in India including Johal’s.
Johal has been arrested in Punjab over his alleged connection with some suspected targeted killings in the state over the past two years. Punjab police suspect Johal’s hand behind the murders of some right-wing leaders like Brigadier (retd) Jagdish Gagneja in 2016 and Ravinder Gosain in October this year. Sultan Masih, a pastor, was killed in July this year.
Johal is suspected of funding and arranging weapons for a terror outfit called the Khalistan Liberation Force,
Johal’s arrest has left some NRI Sikhs so angry that they have raised the issue with British and Canadian politicians. Allegations of Johal being tortured in custody have added fuel to the fire.
British Prime Minster Theresa May told BBC that she was aware of the concerns about Johal. The matter was raised in British and Canadian parliaments. Britain has reportedly conveyed it's concerns to the Indian government too, which the Punjab government has denied saying that no official message is received.
Johal’s brother Gurpreet Singh Johal is a lawyer in Scotland. He told Economic Times that his brother was not in India when the alleged crimes were committed so he should not have been arrested in India.
“My parents and I are deeply concerned about legal processes in India. We fear my brother has been tortured by the Punjab Police who are refusing an independent medical examination.”
Many Sikhs in Australia are fuming too. Protesting youths in Melbourne said in raised voices that India is torturing their brothers in Punjab.
Punjab government has defended its actions. Punjab Chief Minister Capt. Amrinder Singh said in an interview that Johal was arrested on the basis of strong evidence.
“Johal was arrested by the police on grave charges in major cases, based on strong evidence against him. And he was arrested only after his role in the conspiracy to kill RSS/Shiv Sena leaders/workers was confirmed on the basis of specific inputs about his linkages/involvement in these crimes,” Singh told Economic Times.
