LONDON – Indian PM Narendra Modi had to face huge embarrassment during hismeeting with the British Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday over thethe issue of the arrest of Scots Sikh Jagtar Singh Johal.

She raised serious concerns over his arrest during meeting with her Indiancounterpart.

Jagtar Singh Johal a.k.a Jaggi, along with Hardeep Singh Shera andRamandeep Singh, was arrested for allegedly executing targeted killingsacross Punjab. While Hardeep and Ramandeep were arrested in connection withthe murder of pastor Sultan Masih, Johal was arrested in connection withthe murder of RSS leader Ravinder Gosain. He was arrested in Punjab onNovember 4, just over a fortnight after his wedding. Johal has also beenaccused of conspiring to murder Hindu leaders and being involved in themurder of a Christian priest.

On Wednesday, when Prime Minister Modi landed in London on a four-dayvisit, he was greeted with protest being staged including those over JagtarSingh’s detention. During the protest staged by the supporters ofJagtar, campaigners said the 31-year-old Sikh has been held without chargeand tortured, reported the BBC. A chargesheet is yet to be filed by thePunjab Police.

“The prime minister (May) raised Mr Johal’s case with Prime Minister Modithis morning and the government will continue to make representations onhis behalf until our concerns are addressed,” BBC quoted a Downing Streetspokesman as saying.

“Our High Commission staff in India have visited Mr Johal 10 times sincehis detention, most recently on 22 March, and the Foreign Office are inregular contact with his family,” he added.

Johal’s brother, Gurpreet Singh, was among those who travelled from Glasgowto take part in the protest in Parliament Square. Johal’s family hasclaimed that he was a peaceful activist who had contributed to a websiteremembering the 1984 massacre at the Golden Temple at Amritsar but was nota militant.