E-Paper
Kohli's father says son 'framed'
He alleges his son is the victim of racism and a British man had hatched a conspiracy to frame his son in the case.
The father of Maninder Pal Singh Kohli, whose extradition to Britain to face trial for allegedly murdering a teenager was on Friday ordered by a Delhi court, claimed his son has been "framed".
Talking to reporters in Patiala, 75-year-old Jagat Singh Kohli said he believed his son is innocent.
Police in Hampshire named Kohli as the main suspect for the rape and murder of 17-year-old Hannah Foster. Her body was found days before Kohli fled to India.
Jagjit, a former employee of the Punjab industries department, claimed, "I have copies of BBC news which had announced that Hannah was not raped and even Scotland Yard was working on the same theory."
He alleged his son was the victim of racism and it was just coincidence that he was in India to see his mother who was in a coma after the murder of Foster.
Jagjit also alleged that one of his son's colleagues, a British man, had hatched a conspiracy to frame his son in the case.
Reposing faith in the judiciary, Jagjit said the family will seek legal opinion and move a higher court to prevent his extradition.
He, however, lamented the role of the government for allegedly failing to protect Indians who have been victimised in Britain.
Jagjit lost his wife Harwinder Kaur last year after a prolonged illness. His younger son Ishpreet Singh works for Punjab Police and another son Amritpal Singh is an employee of the state government.
