Father says Maninder victim of racism in Hannah murder case

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

Patiala, June 8 (UNI) A 75-year old father is in anguish after learning that his son is to be extradited to the United Kingdom, where he will stand trial for the rape and murder of a teenager.

Jagjit Singh Kohli, father of Maninder Pal Singh Kohli claims that his son is a victim of racism and had been framed for the murder of Hannah Claire Foster, a 17-year old UK national. He plans to move a higher court to prevent his sons extradition.

Talking to reporters here today, soon learning of Manider's extradition to the UK, he still believes that his son is innocent.

A Delhi court had today ordered the extradition of Maninder to the UK, where he will stand trial in the Foster murder case. Kohli was arrested in Darjeeling by the Indian police on July 15, 2004.

The British police had named Maninder as the main suspect in the murder of 17-year-old Hannah. Her body was found on March 16, 2003, in Allington Lane, West End, on the outskirts of Southampton, two days after she had been kidnapped. A post mortem revealed she had been strangled and raped.

A retiree from the Punjab industries department, Jagjit Singh claimed that he had copies of BBC news which had stated that Hannah was not raped and even Scotland Yard was working on the same theory.

He said his son was victim of racism and it was just a coincidence that he was in India, to see his ailing mother after the alleged murder of Hannah.

Jagjit Singh alleged that his son's colleague, working in the same company and who was a British had hatched the conspiracy to frame his son in the case.

Reposing full faith in the Indian judiciary, he said that he would seek legal opinion and will move to a higher court to prevent his extradition. He however lamented the role of the Indian Government as it had failed to protect the rights of Indians who become victims of racism.

''The Indians have once again bowed their heads before the British,'' he said while refering to period of English rule in India.

The Ministry of External Affairs had already declared that Maninder was a ''fugitive criminal'' and his actions of fleeing from one country to another to avoid prosecution made it a very clear case to extradite him to UK where he allegedly committed the crime.

UNI

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