UK resident Jagtar Singh Johal among 6 acquitted in terror case

The court of Additional District and Sessions Judge, Moga, today acquitted six out of nine accused in an eight-year-old case registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), Arms Act, and various sections of the IPC. It sentenced Taljeet Singh, Ramandeep Singh and Hardeep Singh to two-year imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 3,000 each under Section 25 of the Arms Act.

The case, initially filed at the Baghapurana police station in December 2016, involved allegations of attempts to revive terrorism and orchestrate targeted killings in Punjab.

Among those acquitted is Jagtar Singh Johal, a 37-year-old resident of Dumbarton, Britain, who was arrested in 2017 on allegations of involvement with the banned Khalistan Liberation Force. Despite being cleared in the case, Johal remains incarcerated in Delhi’s Tihar Jail, as he faces seven other cases under UAPA, Arms Act, IPC etc. in the National Investigation Agency (NIA) court.

A number of accused in the case were arrested between 2017 and 2018 and had been previously residing in the USA, England, Australia, Pakistan and other countries.

Apart from Jagtar Singh Johal, the other accused in the case included, Taljeet Singh, alias Jimmy, from J&K; Ramandeep Singh, alias Bagga; Dharaminder, alias Gugni; Harminder Singh, alias Mintu (proceedings abated due to his death); Hardeep Singh, alias Bhalwan; Anil Kumar, alias Kala; Jagjit Singh, alias Jaggi; and Tarlok Singh, alias Laadi.

Despite producing 56 witnesses, the prosecution failed to prove case beyond doubt, leading to six acquittals.