Brother of Scot detained in India 'let down' by UK Government over trade deal
Jagtar Singh Johal's brother met with David Lammy last week but said he was disappointed.
THE BROTHER of a Scottish man detained in India has blasted the UK Government for failing to make his release a condition of a new trade deal.
Dumbarton man Jagtar Singh Johal, known as Jaggi, has been locked up in India for more than seven years awaiting judgment on nine almost identical cases.
Since then his brother Gurpreet has been leading the campaign for his release and insists he is innocent.
Last week he met Foreign Secretary David Lammy in the wake of the UK announcing a historic trade deal with India in the hope of positive news about 38-year-old Jaggis' case.
But he said he left the talks 'disappointed'.
Speaking to the Sunday Mail Gurpreet said: 'It doesn't appear that the government has taken this seriously or progressed matters.
'It was a disappointing meeting in terms of the Foreign Secretary having raised the case with his counterpart in March, but has failed to follow up on that. He had no answers when we asked why.
'It's concerning that, despite it being urgent and there being a small window of opportunity, the Foreign Secretary hasn't taken action.'
On Tuesday the Prime Minister announced he had secured a lucrative trade deal with India expected to be worth £34bn over the next 15 years.
It will see the cost of exporting goods such as whisky and cars lowered for UK producers.
But Gurpreet said his brother's freedom should have been raised as part of the deal.
He said: 'I had higher hopes of the government doing more since they've come into power.
'While it's welcomed that the government has got the trade deal with India, which is something the previous government couldn't do, I'm not seeing that same kind of urgency to bring Jagtar back home.'
In March Jaggi was acquitted in one of the nine cases brought by India's National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is accusing him of being involved in financing terrorist attacks in Punjab.
His lawyers claim he was forced to sign a blank piece of paper admitting to the charges after police tortured him with electricity and threatened to burn him alive.
Three years ago the UN demanded his release and said he was being detained arbitrarily - without a valid legal reason.
Since the acquittal, Gurpreet said the prison authorities appear to be trying to 'break' Jaggi by keeping him in isolation.
He said: 'He's been put on 24 hour guard and is constantly being watched.
'He's been denied his basic necessities and he's on his own. There are no other prisoners in his cell, has limited contact with prisoners and others.
'Jagtar's stated this is causing him mental torture. I think they are trying to break him.'
A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: 'Despite some progress in his cases, Mr. Jagtar Singh Johal has now been detained in India for over seven years without a conviction.
'The Foreign Secretary continues to raise concerns about Mr Johal's prolonged detention with the Government of India at every appropriate opportunity, most recently in his last bilateral meeting with External Affairs Minister Jaishankar in March, emphasising the need for a prompt, full and just resolution of Mr. Johal's cases within India's independent legal system.
'We continue to provide consular support to Mr. Johal and his family, and the Foreign Secretary recently met with Mr. Johal's brother, a Member of Parliament, and a representative from Reprieve on the 8th of May to discuss the ongoing situation.'
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