Moga police under fire: Jagtar Singh Johal’s gold, cash go missing after acquittal

Nearly nine months after British national Jagtar Singh Johal, accused in multiple targeted killings cases, was acquitted by the court of the Additional District and Sessions Judge in Moga in an eight-year-old UAPA and Arms Act case, the Moga police have come under scrutiny for the alleged disappearance of Johal’s gold articles from police custody.

Johal’s counsel, advocate Jaspal Singh Manjhpur, alleged that a 100-gram gold chain, a gold ring, and Rs 5,000 in cash — seized by the Baghapurana police when Johal was arrested in November 2017 — are now missing from police custody.

After Johal’s acquittal in the 2016 terror-funding case, the defence moved an application in court seeking release of his belongings. The police returned his mobile phone but informed the court that the gold items and cash “could not be located”.

The Moga police stated that the articles were last handled by an ASI posted at the Baghapurana police station who has since died. An SIT has been constituted to trace the missing property and fix responsibility. The court has sought a detailed report on recovery efforts and accountability for the loss.

Jagtar Singh Johal, originally from Jalandhar district and a British citizen, was in custody since November 2017 in this case and was acquitted on March 4 this year. The Moga police had booked him in December 2016 under the UAPA, Arms Act, and IPC sections. Johal remains lodged in a Delhi jail as he’s the prime accused in eight other alleged terror activity cases in Punjab, including six murders described as “serial targeted killings” (2016-17). These cases are being investigated by NIA.

The revelation of missing case property has placed the Moga police in a difficult position.