A SCOT detained in India has not been charged with murder – despite press reports to the contrary, supporters say.
On Friday several media outlets reported that Dumbarton man Jagtar Singh Johal had been charged with murder and criminal conspiracy in India.
The 31-year-old is one of ten men accused of involvement in the October 2017 murder of prominent Hindu nationalist Ravinder Gosain, leader of Hindu paramilitary group RSS.
The reports followed a court hearing in Mohali, at which prosecutors said the charge sheets against the accused ran to almost 1500 pages.
Jagtar, known as Jaggi, has accused authorities in the Punjab region of torture since his arrest by plain-clothes officers in November, shortly after his wedding. But a statement by the #FreeJaggiNow campaign says the internet marketer is not accused of murder, but of providing finance for "targeted killings".
In the statement, released through the UK-based Sikh Press Association, campaigners said official papers passed to the Scot's legal team have just one reference outlining his alleged crime. It states: "Jagtar Singh Johal, a UK national had been sent to France from the UK to deliver GBP 3000 to Harminder Singh.”
The second man named is understood to be Harminder Singh Mintoo, leader of the militant Khalistan Liberation Force, which seeks a Sikh homeland. The claim follows the death of Mintoo in custody.
Jagtar's family say he is a peaceful campaigner and contributed material to a website about anti-Sikh violence in the 1980s, but is not a militant.
According to the campaign, the charge sheet will be presented to Punjab courts on Thursday and May 21. Under Indian law, the charges are open to debate and negotiation once brought before a court.
Last week Rupert Skilbeck, director of international anti-torture charity Redress, said "the credibility of the entire legal process" against Jagtar would be "undermined" by evidence of torture and repeated the organisation's calls for an independent medical examination.
Restating criticism of the UK authorities in Jagtar's case today, Shamsher Singh of the #FreeJaggiNow campaign team said: “It’s shocking that this is the basis upon which Jagtar has been subjected to torture and detained without charge for six months. The lack of response and action by the UK Government is deeply disappointing.
"The position taken by Redress, that any proceedings would be invalidated due to the torture, should also be taken by the British Government.”
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has stated that it is supporting Jagtar and his family.
Martin Docherty-Hughes, the family's MP, has urged the UK media to help his constituent get an "open and fair trial". He said: "The challenge to them is to highlight this situation."
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