A SCOT “tortured” in India was almost completely covered up when British officials met with him in an Indian facility, a leading Sikh MP claims.

Preet Gill, the first female Sikh elected to the House of Commons, says detained Jagtar Singh Johal has been classed as “vulnerable” amidst serious concern about his treatment by police in the Punjab.

The 30-year-old Dumbarton man was with his new wife and his cousin when he was arrested on the street on November 4.

Local reports state that he is accused of funding the purchase of weapons connected to the targeted killings of high-profile Hindus, and of “influencing the youth” by publishing material related to the deaths of thousands of Sikhs in pogroms in 1984.

His local MP Martin Docherty-Hughes has accused authorities in the Punjab of treating Jagtar as an “easy target” in a clampdown on critics of human rights abuses.

Meanwhile, his older brother Gurpreet Singh Johal has branded the arrest “opportunist” and says it has “broken” his family.

No charges have yet been brought and yesterday Jagtar, known as Jaggi, appeared for a third court hearing after claims of torture emerged.

He attended a lower court in Bagha Purana, Moga, flanked by a contingent of police officers. According to his lawyer, he has been subjected to electric shocks and “body separation techniques” while being held by police.

The internet marketer has been transferred out of their custody and into jail to await another court date on November 30, according to the Sikh Federation, which is running a #freejaggi campaign.

The organisation’s chair Bhai Amrik Singh said: “Hopefully the physical torture will now come to an end, but the mental torture of false imprisonment continues.”

The case has drawn strong criticism of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and British Consulate after no officials appeared at Jagtar’s first hearing.

Gurpreet said the UK Government had given the case “no attention” and failed to meet with him before these sessions.

In an interview with BBC Radio Scotland yesterday, MP Gill said officials had frustrated the judicial process by failing to turn up. She said: “Because of the British arriving late to court, that date was extended and so he had a further hearing date, to which they didn’t attend.”

On Thursday the FCO confirmed that staff had now met with Jagtar. Discussing this and torture claims, Gill, who chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on British Sikhs, said: “When they met him he was in the presence of two police officers. He was covered up and quite well padded up. All they could see was his face and his hands.

“Jagtar did ask that he wanted to see them on his own. They said they would try and do that.

“They assessed him as being vulnerable, which is really, really concerning.”

A coachload of Scots travelled to London to join a protest of around 400 people outside the FCO on Thursday, with the case attracting interest throughout the UK. Gill said: “There is a significant diaspora of Sikhs in this country. They want to know that they can come back and forth to their homeland.”

External Relations Secretary Fiona Hyslop says the Scottish Government is “deeply concerned” about the case, and that the First Minister has requested updates as more information is made available.

Meanwhile, Canada’s New Democratic Party (NDP), which is headed by Sikh Jagmeet Singh, has contacted his foreign affairs minister to suggest that the Canadian Economic Development Minister Navdeep Bains could intervene.

In a letter, NDP politician Cheryl Hardcastle suggests Bains, who is in India, could “offer his assistance on the ground”. Hardcastle says this would be justified because Canada is a signatory to the UN Convention Against Torture, adding: “We hope that Jagtar Singh Johal is allowed to have a fair trial, [and] is provided with access to an independent medical examiner as requested by his legal team.

“It is crucial that he not be subjected to any further torture while in custody of Punjab Police.”

Acknowledging international interest in the case, Docherty-Hughes said: “There has been an incredible response to the campaign to help Jagtar, with messages of support pouring in from people all over Scotland and across the world.

“Thanks to the strength of this campaign, the Foreign Office and British High Commission is now taking action to provide consular support to Jagtar. Whilst this is welcome news, concerns remain about the possible torture of my constituent during his detention in India.

“We cannot ignore such serious allegations of human rights violations. Along with Preet Gill MP, chair of the APPG for British Sikhs, and supported by a cross-party group of MPs, I will be making further representations to the Punjab chief minister to highlight the concerns voiced by people across the UK.

“Whilst we’re seeing some progress, it’s now two weeks since Jagtar was first arrested and despite appearing in court several times he has yet to be charged with any crime.

“I will now be seeking meetings with Ministers at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to press for further actions by the UK Government to ensure Jagtar is given fair treatment by the Indian authorities.”

The Sikh Federation has challenged the UK and Scottish governments to “do much more” to secure Johal’s release.

Yesterday Gill said the judicial process must play out, but that Indian authorities had to abide by agreed standards on the treatment of prisoners.

She said: “Fundamentally, he has not been charged. We would expect a very transparent and open, fair process.

“This hasn’t followed that due process.”

An FCO spokesman said: “Our consular staff in New Delhi have visited a British man who has been detained in Punjab.

“We have met his family to update them, and have confirmed that he now has access to his lawyer.

“We take all allegations or concerns of torture and mistreatment very seriously and will follow up with action as appropriate.

“When considering how to act, we will avoid any action that might put the individual in question or any other person that may be affected at risk.”

Jagtar was able to meet his parents-in-law at the brief hearing yesterday, during which the judge raised allegations of torture with the prosecution.