THE family of a Dumbarton man detained in India for five years have gathered in Downing Street as they called on the Prime Minister to bring him home.

Relatives of Jagtar Singh were joined by West Dunbartonshire MP, Martin Docherty-Hughes, on the steps of Number 10, where they handed over a letter and petition, pressing Rishi Sunak to act.

The Reporter previously told how Scottish Sikh Jagtar – known as Jaggi – was arrested in India after his wedding in November 2017, accused of helping to fund a Sikh-on-Hindu assassination plot – something he and his family strongly deny.

An investigation by the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention ruled in May that there was no legal basis for Jagtar’s detention in India, citing multiple violations of his human rights – including claims he was tortured into signing a false ‘confession’, through electric shocks to his ear lobes, nipples, and genitals.

Hundreds of protesters marched on Downing Street this week, alongside Jagtar’s family and local MP Martin Docherty-Hughes, demanding the UK government calls for Jaggi’s release.

Joining the protest rally was Richard Ratcliffe and his wife Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, the British-Iranian woman who was detained in Iran for six years after being accused of plotting to overthrow the government.

Martin Docherty-Hughes MP said: “We have seen so many Prime Ministers and foreign secretaries during Jagtar’s five years of arbitrary detention that even I start to lose count.

 “It is a horrendous, and quite frankly, a pathetic scenario in which the British government finds itself when it deals with my constituent’s case.

 “It’s time for Rishi Sunak and the UK foreign secretary to defend Jagtar’s rights to a free and fair trial.

"Trade is important but it should not be at the expense of the human rights of a young Scot from Dumbarton.

 “Jagtar’s family here in West Dunbartonshire have campaigned tirelessly for his release. We dedicate ourselves to continuing the campaign for Jaggi - to secure justice and bring him home to his family.”

A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: “We have consistently raised our concerns about Mr Johal’s case directly with the Government of India, including his allegations of torture and his right to a fair trial and we are committed to doing what we can to assist him.

“The foreign secretary visited India and raised his case with external affairs minister Jaishankar on October 29.

“The UK strongly opposes the death penalty in all circumstances as a matter of principle and we will continue to make this clear to the Government of India.”