Prime Minister Keir Starmer has confirmed that he raised the case of Jagtar Singh Johal, a British citizen detained in India for eight years, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The discussion occurred during Starmer's visit to India, which was primarily focused on promoting a recently signed trade deal between the UK and India.

Jagtar Singh Johal, a Sikh activist from Dumbarton near Glasgow, was arrested in India in November 2017, shortly after his wedding. He was allegedly bundled into an unmarked car. Johal has claimed to have been subjected to torture during his detention, and the UN has recognized his imprisonment as arbitrary in 2022. While he was acquitted earlier this year on charges of financially supporting a terror group, he continues to face federal charges from Indian authorities.

During a press conference on Thursday, Starmer stated that he and his team "did raise the consular cases" with Prime Minister Modi, emphasizing that they "always raise them when we have the opportunity to do so". He also mentioned that the Foreign Secretary would be meeting with the families of Mr. Johal and others in the coming weeks.

Gurpreet Singh Johal, Jagtar's brother, expressed disappointment at the lack of specific details provided following the meeting between the two leaders. He noted that Starmer had previously stated he hadn't forgotten about Jagtar, but "today, he didn't even mention his name," which was "hard to take". He also highlighted the unfortunate circumstance of Jagtar's wife spending her eighth wedding anniversary without her husband. Gurpreet Singh Johal said that he will meet the Foreign Secretary next month and hopes they can agree on a plan of action. He conveyed a sense of weary hope, stating, "In the meantime I guess we just have to hope that when the Prime Minister says that he's raising Jagtar's case, that means he's working to get him home. It would be shattering if this turns out to be more empty talk". He has warned that his brother will "be an old man before he gets out of prison" unless the Prime Minister acts.

The family has begun a legal case against the government, seeking to uncover whether British intelligence contributed to his imprisonment.

The case has gained increased attention due to recent high-profile releases of British citizens detained abroad, including Alaa Abd El-Fattah from Egypt and Barbie and Peter Reynolds from Taliban detention. Gurpreet Singh Johal believes these instances provide further justification for Starmer to push for his brother's release.

Reprieve, a legal campaign group supporting the Johal family, has urged the government to take all necessary steps to secure Jagtar's release.