India briefs U.K. on investigation into role of Scotsman Jagtar Singh Johal in the death of RSS member Ravindra Gosain.

Punjab Police officers investigating the alleged role of a Scotsman in the killing of an RSS activist to fan communal violence in the State received death threats targeting them and their family, India is learnt to have told the United Kingdom authorities.

Jagtar Singh Johal (31) was arrested in November last, a fortnight after his wedding, for the murder of RSS member Ravindra Gosain.

The investigations were later handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The agency said Mr. Gosain and eight others were killed in 2016-17 as “part of a conspiracy to destabilise Punjab” hatched by Sikh extremist elements and others located in various parts of the world.

A senior government official said the arrest of Johal had become a rallying point for Sikh groups based in the U.K. During the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to U.K. in April, several members of the Sikh community protested at Parliament Square against the arrest. British Prime Minister Therese May raised the arrest of Johal with Mr. Modi. The U.K Parliament also debated the absence of consular access to Johal.

‘False campaign’

“Since the arrest of Jagtar Singh Johal, a false, slanderous and orchestrated media campaign has been initiated by militants and their sympathisers as well as radical elements based in Britain and other western countries against the Punjab government and the Punjab police,” an internal note of the Home Ministry said.

“In fact, Punjab police officers have been receiving death threats, targeted at them and their family members, from such elements over the phone, WhatsApp, and various social media platforms,” the note said.

MoS Home Kiren Rijiju is learnt to have told a U.K delegation led by minister Susan Williams that all legal avenues were available for Johal and his lawyers to pursue his case.

During one of the meetings, NSA Ajit Doval had suggested that Johal could approach Human Rights Commission, which is an independent body with investigative and judicial powers, to look into allegations of mistreatment.