Securing the release and return of Jagtar Singh Johal

Securing the release and return of Jagtar Singh Johal In opposition Keir Starmer as the Labour Leader and David Lammy as the Shadow Foreign Secretary accepted Jagtar has been in arbitrary detention in an Indian jail since 4 November 2017 and applied pressure to get the UK Government to acknowledge this. Boris Johnson as PM categorically confirmed Jagtar’s arbitrary detention in an Indian jail in a letter to the Sikh community on 7 July 2022. The Labour leadership therefore consistently called on the Conservative government to call for Jagtar’s release and to be reunited with his family in Scotland. Labour has now been in power for over 500 days and Jagtar has been arbitrarily detained in an Indian prison for over eight years. Whilst we have repeatedly been told the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary have continued to raise the case of Jagtar Singh Johal with their Indian counterparts the British Sikh community had expected to see further progress to try and get Jagtar released and back with his family. The expectation increased following Jagtar’s acquittal on 4 March 2025 when the first case eventually came to a conclusion in court, especially as the other cases are based on the same evidence. On 1 July 2025 Douglas McAllister MP confirmed the Foreign Secretary had told him he would personally focus on two cases; those of Jimmy Li and Jagtar Singh Johal and he would provide a monthly update. Narendra Modi met Keir Starmer in the UK towards the end of July and in India in September when Jagtar’s case was raised. Yvette Copper, became the Foreign Secretary in September 2025 and has provided no updates or clarification, despite repeated written requests. A meeting took place on 1 December with Jagtar’s family and Douglas but was very disappointing. Can you write to the Foreign Secretary to: a) confirm whether or not the Labour Government has since July 2024 used diplomatic channels with the Indian government to call for Jagtar’s release since coming to power, especially after his acquittal on 4 March 2025; b) publicly call for Jagtar’s release as it is UK Government policy to call for the release of British nationals who it accepts are arbitrarily detained abroad; and c) set out what steps have been taken by the UK Government, including at the UN Human Rights Council to encourage the Indian authorities to investigate the allegations of the torture of Jagtar Singh Johal that were made 8 years ago after he was arrested. We have just seen Jimmy Lai convicted in Hong Kong and the Foreign Secretary’s robust statement in Parliament on 15 December. The government must apply maximum pressure to secure Jagtar’s release and return and after 8 years publicly call out the Indian authorities if they are not listening. You may also wish to table relevant Written Parliamentary Questions or raise the matter on the floor of the House. Please share a copy of your letter to the Foreign Secretary and any response when received.