"It is a really important milestone for Jagtar's campaign."
The family of Scottish Sikh activist Jagtar Singh Johal have said he has been granted bail in India after almost nine years in detention without conviction.
Johal, who is from Dumbarton, was arrested in Punjab in 2017, weeks after his wedding, over alleged terror offences.
He was accused of involvement in a series of targeted killings of religious and political figures.
His family said they are still waiting for details of the bail conditions but are “relieved” by the Indian court’s decision.
In 2025, the 39-year-old was acquitted in a case where he was accused of financially supporting the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF), which has carried out attacks in the Punjab region.
However, he still faces federal charges lodged by Indian authorities.
According to reports, bail was granted by the Delhi High Court, although the conditions of the order remain unclear.
Johal’s imprisonment was recognised as arbitrary detention by a UN panel in 2022. He has also claimed he was tortured while in custody.
Indian authorities have previously denied the torture allegations and repeatedly maintained that due process is being followed.
Johal’s supporters have said he was targeted for blogging about alleged human rights abuses against India’s Sikh community.
They have also alleged that he was coerced into signing a false confession to participating in the killings.
His brother, Gurpreet Singh Johal, has lobbied successive UK governments for his release.
He told the BBC’s Radio Scotland Breakfast programme:
“It is a really important milestone for Jagtar’s campaign.
“It has been a long haul and an expensive rollercoaster but the community and the public have kept me going to campaign to bring Jagtar home.
“This will be a huge relief for him.”
Gurpreet said he did not know the exact bail conditions but expected money would have to be put down.
He also expects his brother will have to remain in India or obtain permission to leave the country.
While describing the decision as a major step, Gurpreet said further work would be needed to bring his brother back to Dumbarton.
“It is a momentous moment for the family, his wife has been crying since this morning.
“Everyone was joyful, my kids went to school saying they cannot wait to see their uncle coming home.
“It is just a first step, but it is a step in the right direction.”
Gurpreet previously urged the UK government to provide “diplomatic representation” to help bring his brother home.
He described his last meeting with then-Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper in December as “disappointing”.
At the time, a spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said concerns about Jagtar Singh Johal’s “prolonged detention” were raised with the Indian government at every appropriate opportunity.
Johal was previously denied bail in 2024.
His family have maintained that no concrete evidence has been presented against him.
They say the case relies on testimony from unreliable witnesses, with some allegedly later recanting statements against Johal in court.
Johal is represented in the UK by legal charities Redress and Reprieve, which have welcomed the bail decision.
Reprieve’s deputy executive director Dan Dolan welcomed the news but Johal still faces the death penalty for “trumped-up charges”.
He said: “We must now watch closely to ensure this order is actually implemented and not obstructed in any way.
“The conditions attached are likely to be onerous.”
Redress senior legal advisor Chris Esdaile said granting bail “can’t undo the intolerable suffering caused by nine years of arbitrary detention”.
He added: “The need for accountability for the allegations of torture and the deeply flawed proceedings against Jagtar remains urgent.”
