The campaign to free a Dumbarton man detained in India without charge has received global support after a car rally was held in Washington DC to call for his release.

Jagtar Singh Johal, known as Jaggi, was arrested in Punjab on November 4, shortly after his wedding and has now spent 116 days in custody.

Around 35 cars adorned with the campaign slogan and hashtag ‘Free Jaggi Now’ took to the streets of the US capital to demand the release of the former Our Lady and St Patrick’s High School pupil.

During the rally, the fleet drove to locations such as the National Gurdwara, Georgetown, Dupont Circle, The White House, The Washington Monument, the National Mall and Capitol Hill, and the Indian Embassy to raise awareness of the campaign.

The event was organised by the Chardi Kala Sports Club, a Washington DC based non-profit organisation, which utilises fitness and sports to bring Sikh youth closer to their faith.

Amolak Singh Kahlon, co-founder and vice president of the CKSC, said: “Chardi Kala Sports Club, a non-profit in the Washington DC area, organised a car rally to demand the freedom of Jagtar Singh Johal.

“They have put Jaggi through 28 trials and not found a shred of evidence.

“We condemn the Indian government’s behaviour and demand the release of Jagtar Singh Johal.

“It is imperative that there is global support for the campaign because the majority of the world is uninformed or misinformed of the atrocities that take place in India every single day.”

Indian authorities recently claimed that the 31-year-old was involved in financing the killing of Hindu leaders, but he has not been formally charged with any offence.

Earlier this month the Reporter told of his family’s heartbreak as Jaggi spent his birthday alone in prison.

He was returned to police remand for four days last week and on Saturday attended his 29th pre-trial custody hearing in India.

The judge then sent the 31-year-old back into police remand until March 1, when he will attend court for his 30th pre-trial custody hearing without charge.

Following this latest development Jagtar’s brother Gurpreet told the Reporter on Saturday: “I am shellshocked. It is going round in circles.

“I am concerned about the mental torture that he is going through because he cannot meet with anyone because they have taken him further away than he was before and he has been wearing the same clothes for five days.

“He has been taken to Amritsar and is not allowed family visits. He is not allowed to see his wife or any family members or lawyers.”

Gurpreet said, however, that he was grateful for the continuing support from around the world and thanked those who held the car rally last Friday.

He added: “I am really humbled by all the support from around the world, from America, Australia and Canada. They can see the concerns of the family.

“To the guys in America, I am thankful for their support and ask them to continue raising awareness as much as they can because more pressure from outside the UK is going to make the British government do something.”