A SCOTTISH MP is calling on authorities to free a constituent who has spent five years in an Indian jail.

East Renfrewshire SNP MP Kirsten Oswald says it must be the last Christmas Billy Irving spends there.

Irving, from Connel, Argyll and Bute, is one of the ‘Chennai Six,’ who have been detained for five years on firearms charges after their anti-piracy ship strayed into Indian waters without permission.

Customs officials boarded their ship and found 35 guns, including semi-automatic weapons, and almost 6,000 rounds of ammunition.

Charges against the men, who were working for US firm AdvanFort, have since been dropped, but they have been unable to leave while prosecutors pursued an appeal.

Oswald said: “Things have moved at a glacial pace in India and it is important that the pressure is kept up on both the Foreign Office and Number 10 to ensure this subject is at the front of the UK government’s mind.

“Billy and his colleagues have protested their innocence from the very start and I think the foreign secretary can and should be doing far more to assist them as UK citizens.

“I know this is going to be a difficult time for Billy’s entire family and his friends. His partner Yvonne [MacHugh] and his family have worked tirelessly since the men were first taken into custody. I applaud each and every one of them for the dedication they have shown.”

A Foreign Office spokesman said: “We recognise what a difficult time this is for those involved and we have taken significant action on this case.

“The Prime Minister raised the importance of seeing progress on the case with PM Modi during her visit to India.

“Alok Sharma, the foreign office minister for Asia, pressed for progress during his first official visit in July and again last month.

“Earlier this year, the then Foreign Office minister Hugo Swire travelled to India to meet the men personally as well as meeting their families in Carlisle.

“Foreign Office staff in India have been providing support to all six and are working to make sure their welfare is protected in prison.

“We are also in regular contact with their families in the UK.”