RISHI SUNAK has been branded “too weak” to demand the release of a jailed Sikh British blogger from India by campaigners.

Jagrar Singh Johal, from Dumbarton, had been in India to attend a wedding in 2017 when he was arrested before being bundled into an unmarked car.

Charged with terrorist offences, he has languished in prison ever since where he says he has endured torture, including electric shocks, while trial dates have been repeatedly delayed.

Mr Johal could face the death penalty if convicted.

Supporters of his release argue he has been targeted as a campaigner for Sikh human rights in a country that has become an increasingly hostile environment for them under the leadership of Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

More than 70 MPs from across the parties wrote to Mr Sunak demanding he press for Mr Johal’s “immediate release” when he travelled to India for the G20 economic summit.

Now in India, the Prime Minister confirmed yesterday that he had raised the matter with his Indian counterpart, saying: “Yes, I was able to, alongside a range of other consular issues that Prime Minister Modi and I discussed in the time that we had.

“And the Foreign Office are continuing to provide support to Mr Johal’s family and will continue to do so.”

But campaigners branded the intervention “meaningless” unless Mr Sunak was willing to demand his immediate release.

While legal charity Reprieve called on Mr Sunak to reveal Mr Modi’s response, the Sikh Federation (UK) launched a scathing attack on the Prime Minister.

Dabinderjit Singh, principal adviser to the federation, said: “It is UK government policy to call for the immediate release of any British citizen held abroad in arbitrary detention.

“Rishi Sunak since taking over as PM from Liz Truss in October 2022 has unacceptably been very reluctant to personally take up the case of Jagtar with India.

“He has however been forced today through pressure from UK MPs to raise the case of Jagtar Singh Johal with Narendra Modi.  

“He has however demonstrated his weakness and lack of leadership by shamefully failing to stand up for the rights of a British citizen and calling for Jagtar’s immediate release.”

Mr Singh said the PM is “talking utter nonsense in terms of Jagtar’s best interests and justice.

“They appear scared and clueless on how best to apply diplomatic pressure on India and are leaving it to the corrupt Indian judicial system,” he said.