How did Jags Panesar die in EastEnders? Prison murder revisited

By Laura Denby

Published: Monday, 18 July 2022 at 12:00 am

*This article contains spoilers from the EastEnders boxset available on BBC iPlayer, which have yet to air on television.*

EastEnders has revisited the fate of a former character this week, as Ben Mitchell (Max Bowden) buckled under his guilt over the death of Jags Panesar (Amar Adatia) and made a huge confession.

Ben’s decision came amid his own turbulent time in the wake of being raped by Lewis Butler (Aidan O’Callaghan). Pal and business partner Kheerat Panesar (Jaz Deol) went out of his way to support Ben during a visit to the sexual health clinic, which saw Ben get the all-clear after a HIV test.

But when Kheerat repeatedly remarked how grateful he was for Ben’s support after Jags’ death, Ben hit a new low as he took drugs, before blurting out that he was responsible for the tragedy.

It’s been over a year since news broke that Jags had been killed, after actor Adatia left the role back in 2020. So you may be in need of a reminder over what exactly happened to the character. And with more than one secret exploding over this storyline, RadioTimes.com is here with a guide on everything you need to know.

How did Jags Panesar die in EastEnders?

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EastEnders’ Suki has a lot to answer for (BBC)

Ben may be the one doing the confessing, but it’s Jags’ ruthless mother Suki Panesar (Balvinder Sopal) who is at the root of this harrowing story. When her other son Vinny (Shiv Jalota) ended up attacking Martin Fowler (James Bye) in the Minute Mart, gentle Jags was also at the scene and as he tried to do the right thing and get help, his jeans were covered in Martin’s blood.

Suki had recently discovered that Jags was secretly seeing Habiba Ahmed (Rukku Nahar), and she strongly disapproved. So to teach him a lesson, Suki reported Jags to the police, even handing them the incriminating clothing! He was soon arrested and charged, with a distraught Habiba knowing in her heart that he was innocent. Habiba left Albert Square pregnant with Jags’ baby, and it was soon revealed that the poor man had been sent down in Vinny’s place.

Fast forward a few months, and Kheerat and Ben went into business together, taking joint control of The Arches. Ben agreed to ensure that vulnerable Jags, who had already been attacked, would be kept safe in prison, thanks to his Mitchell contacts. Kheerat offered Ben a hefty pay packet in return; but when he spotted Kheerat looking cosy with Ben’s former stepmum Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean), he called off the protection.

Shortly after this, Jags was killed in prison. The Panesars were in pieces, while Ben confided in husband Callum Highway (Tony Clay), who advised him not to blame himself as Jags shouldn’t have been behind bars in the first place. But Ben has been unable to keep the truth buried, and so he told Jags’ loved ones everything.

What happened after Ben’s big confession?

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Ben shocked Kheerat with a bombshell (BBC)

Once Ben had explained his role in the innocent man’s demise, Kheerat was incensed with rage and reacted violently. He began squeezing the life out of Ben, with sister Ash (Gurlaine Kaur Garcha) even encouraging Kheerat to finish the job. Vinny, who still blamed himself for Jags’ situation, screamed at his brother to stop; while Suki was horrified and, desperate to stop Kheerat from becoming a killer, she admitted that Jags was actually dead because of her.

Kheerat stepped away from Ben as he took in this information, with the rest of the clan struggling over this latest revelation. Kheerat’s girlfriend Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) enlisted Ash to help her take Ben home; while the Panesars listened to their mum’s explanation. The sickening betrayal only got worse when it transpired that the police weren’t even on Vinny’s trail at the time of Jags’ arrest, so Suki’s decision to stitch him up had purely been to hurt him.

When Suki promised that her three children meant everything to her, Kheerat conceded that he believed her. But he reminded her that there had once been four of them, and she had been so quick to turn on Jags, who would never get to see his child grow up. With that, Suki’s remaining offspring turned their backs on her – and the full truth over kind soul Jags was finally out in the open.

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