THE brother of the Scot detained in India says the Tory leadership contest has left the family feeling they are “back to square one”.
Today marks 600 days since Dumbarton man Jagtar Singh Johal was detained by police following his wedding in the Punjab region.
The Sikh activist, known as Jaggi, denies involvement in the assassination of right-wing Hindu figures but after more than 18 months no conviction has been made and no independent investigation has been held over allegations that he was tortured in custody.
Today the #FreeJaggiNow campaign will raise the case on social media in the hope of pressing authorities into releasing the internet marketer.
The date falls during UK-India Week, which marks connections between the states. But a Foreign Affairs Committee report published on Monday on that relationship failed to mention Jagtar’s case.
READ MORE: Brother of Jagtar Singh Johal makes plea to Scots over online support drive
And, with Foreign Office minister Mark Field suspended over an altercation with a Greenpeace activist and Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt vying for the Tory leadership, Jagtar’s brother Gurpreet Singh Johal says the family feel they are “back to square one” on gaining support for the 32-year-old.
Gurpreet told The National: “It’s unsure who is dealing with the case and Jeremy Hunt has been competing for the leadership. We are back to square one.
“Jeremy Hunt had said Mark Field was the best man for the job. Now the best man has been suspended.”
Gurpreet, a solicitor, said he was “disappointed” that the committee’s report, which emphasised the need for strong trading links with India, failed to mention his brother’s case. He said: “They had a golden opportunity to talk about human rights and they failed to address it. We have always said it is trade before human rights.”
Jagtar has had no direct contact with his Scottish family since his arrest.
The Foreign Office says it continues to support the Johal family and Jagtar, stating: “We continue to visit him regularly and raise concerns with the government of India about his case.”
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