Shailendra Kaur dropped as defence witness

New Delhi, May 8 (UNI) A city court today dropped Shailendra Kaur, wife of prime accused Maninder Pal Singh Kohli, as a defence witness in the rape and murder case of British teenager Hannah Foster.

After hearing the arguments of both the prosecution and the defence, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Kamini Lau rejected Shailendra Kaur's application and did not allow her more time to come to India and depose in the court. The court has fixed May 20 for further hearing in this case.

The court said that, ''an attempt was made by her to delay the court proceedings and I find no ground of Kaur's application to come to India and depose in the court and dismised the application,'' Mrs Lau said in her order.

However, ''in view of the difficulty shown by the witness and in the interest of justice in order to prevent any delay, the court granted one more opportunity to the accused for examination of his witness Shailendra Kaur on April 29. But She did not come to India citing some plea or the other.'' Kaur, a defence witness in the case has requested the court to allow her time till August 2006 for getting her evidence recorded.

She also requested the court to grant her assistance to enable her to arrange visa and other travel expenses so as to expedite her visa process.

Kaur through her counsel C S Bakshi stated in her application that she was not in a position to arrange for the necessary funds to come to India. It was also very difficult for her to leave her young school going children aged around eight and ten years alone in UK. It further said she had come to India earlier last year leaving her children alone due to which their studies were severely affected.

Kohli, facing extradition trial for allegedly raping and murdering British school girl Hannah Foster in Southhampton March 19, 2003, was arrested on July 15, 2003, from Panighata in Siliguri sub-division's Naxalbari area under Darjeeling district while he was trying to cross over to Nepal.

He was arrested under Sections 376 (Rape) and 302 (Murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

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