PM Modi in London: Protest held over detention of Scots Sikh Jagtar Singh Johal in India

The Punjab government has said that Johal is among a group of suspects arrested on allegations of fanning communal disturbance in the state. Supporters claim the charges are false.

Photo courtesy: Twitter

London: Supporters of Jagtar Singh Johal - a Scottish Sikh who was detained in India on charges of aiding and abetting murder - staged a protest which coincided with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's London vist on Wednesday. Demanding Johal's release, the protestors said that the charges against him were false.

Johal, 31, from Dunbarton in Scotland, has been in a Punjab jail since he was arrested by the state's police in November last year for his alleged role in targeted killings in the state.

The BBC reported on Wednesday that supporters organised a mass protest claiming that he was innocent and that he should be released immediately. Many even claimed that he had limited access to a strong legal team and was being kept in testing conditions. The same report also said that Downing Street confirmed UK PM Thresa May had raised Johal's case with PM Modi.

The Scottish-born Sikh was in Jalandhar with his family for his wedding in October of last year when he was reportedly arrested by plainclothes police officials in the city.

Sikh Federation UK, a representative group leading a #FreeJaggiNow social media campaign, has quoted his lawyer Jaspal Singh Manjhpur as saying that Johal has been subjected to physical and mental "torture" in jail.

The Punjab government though has claimed that Johal is among a group of suspects arrested on allegations of fanning communal disturbance in the state.