A man held in India for nearly a year faces losing his home because he hasn’t been paid since his ordeal began.
Pirate hunter Billy Irving, 34, was held after his ship was boarded by armed Indian coast guard officials last October.
He was accused of gun running but cleared of all charges more than a month ago.
Despite this, he is still being held in Chennai, but now faces losing his home at Connell, near Oban, because of the delay in returning home.
Concerned family members have reiterated their calls for Mr Irving to be allowed back home immediately.
His father Jim said the local police authority have not given the ex-paratrooper back his passport and his employers haven’t paid him a penny since he was detained.
“The situation has become intolerable,” he said. “It seems to me the Indian police are intent on ignoring his innocence and keeping him there as long as they possibly can.
“My son is on the verge of losing his house and the savings he’d built up have almost gone. It seems the Foreign Office don’t want to know.”
Officials arrested Billy and 34 colleagues aboard the MV Seamen Ohio, claiming they had illegally entered Indian waters. They were accused of being in unauthorised possession of 31 assault rifles and 5,000 rounds of ammunition.
In January we told how Billy was then forced to endure dreadful conditions in the notorious Puzhal Prison alongside murderers and rapists.
A fresh court hearing is due on Monday, August 18, but Jim is sceptical his son’s ordeal will be over.
As well as Billy, Nick Dunn, from Ashington, Northumberland, Ray Tindall from Chester, Paul Towers from Yorkshire, John Armstrong from Wigton, Cumbria, and Nicholas Simpson from Catterick, North Yorkshire, are all stuck in India.
Jim Irving added: “At the last hearing the judge criticised the police and said there should be no more adjournments in the case. It remains to be seen if it will make any difference.
“The men all feel very let down by the whole situation. The authorities have not given them their passports back or the ‘No Other Charges’ certificates they need to leave. These guys have done nothing wrong. It can’t be allowed to go on.”
A spokesman for the FCO said officials are offering “consular assistance”.
He said: “We are aware of the court decision. We also continue to raise the case at the highest level.”
Mr Irving is employed by US-based AdvanFort. They were unavailable for comment last night.
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