Mohali: Arrested Scottish Citizen Jagtar Singh Johal aka Jaggi was today presented before the Special NIA Court of Additional Sessions Judge I (Mohali) Ms. Anshul Berry. He was presented in case RC/25/17/DLI by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). This case pertains to the killing of Hindu leader Durga Prasad.
As requested by the agency the court sent him in judicial custody in this case till January 20.
Soon after Jaggi was committed to judicial custody the NIA arrested Jagtar Singh Jaggi in another case (RC/18/17/DLI) and urged the court to grant his police remand for 12 days.
The NIA plea for such a prolonged remand was opposed by Jagtar Singh Jaggi’s defence council Advocate Jaspal Singh Manjhpur.
Jagtar Singh Johal being presented before NIA court Mohali on December 19 [File Photo]
Jaggi’s defence apprised the court that Jagtar Singh Jaggi has been in police custody since November 4 and claimed that the NIA is also following the tactics adopted by the Punjab police to prolong Jaggi’s police custody.
Jaspal Singh Manjhpur told the court that 7 cases belonging to Punjab were notified recently under the NIA Act and the investigation in these cases was handed over to the NIA. He added that Jagtar Singh Jaggi was arrested by the Punjab police in 6 of these 7 cases.
“We have requested to the court that if Jagtar Singh Jaggi is required by the NIA in all these cases, then NIA should be directed to record his arrests in respective cases and begin the process”, Advo. Jaspal Singh Manjhpur told Sikh Siyasat News (SSN) over phone.
“Earlier the Punjab police used to arrest Jagtar Singh Jaggi in a new case after he was committed to judicial custody in previous case, now the same practise is being followed by the NIA”, he added.
As the NIA ‘court is having the sole jurisdiction for all proceedings of these cases’, therefore an order should be issued ‘to NIA officials/ concerned investigation officers to marks arrest of the applicant (Jagtar Singh Jaggi) under section 41 of Cr. P. C., if he is also required by NIA in these cases’, Advo. Jaspal Singh urged in the court.
After hearing arguments the court sent Jagtar Singh Jaggi on 4 days police remand and fixed 26 December as next date of hearing. The court has told the NIA to respond to the application moved by Jagtar Singh Jaggi’s lawyer seeking directions to NIA to proceed on in all cases in which Jaggi is required by the NIA.