Family's relief as Indian suspected of killing Hannah Foster is extradited to UK

An Indian court ruled today that Maninder Pal Singh Kohli should be sent back to former home the UK to face charges over Hannah Foster's death.

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The 17-year-old A-level student was abducted, raped and killed following a night out with friends in Southampton on March 14 2003. Her body was found beside a road at West End, near Southampton, two days after she disappeared.

For her parents, Trevor and Hilary Foster, who have travelled to India several times to appeal for information about Kohli's whereabouts, the news came as a "huge relief" but also marks the beginning of another difficult time.

Mrs Foster said: "We are delighted. We just never thought this day was going to happen at times. It has been three really long, absolutely rollercoaster years. There has been delay and delay and you get very despondent.

"There is absolutely nothing we can do now for another few months and that's a really liberating feeling.

"For the fist time, we haven't got to go to bed thinking about who we should write to tomorrow and who we should get to help us campaign. We know now we just have to wait."

Days after Hannah's body was discovered, Kohli, an Indian citizen then living in the UK and working as a sandwich delivery driver, flew back to his native country.

A warrant for his arrest on suspicion of the abduction, rape and murder of Hannah was obtained from Southampton Magistrates' Court in 2003 and faxed to the authorities in India.

Father-of-two Kohli was arrested in India after Mr and Mrs Foster travelled to the country to highlight the case.

Mrs Foster said she was stunned to hear that today's decision has made headline news in India. She said: "I find it extraordinary that a country of that sort of proportions was interested enough to help find him in the first place and is now so excited for us.

"They are very caring people and as a nation, families are very important to them so I think our case just touched their hearts, knowing it could have been one of their children."

But she said that despite everyone's support, the long fight for justice for Hannah has taken its toll.

As if losing her daughter were not enough, Mrs Foster was diagnosed with cancer shortly after Kohli was arrested, although she is now in remission.

She said: "We were determined that this should happen. We have always made it clear that he has a right to due legal process but there were so many unnecessary delays.

"We really had to steel ourselves for it but it's all we could do for Hannah. It's been traumatic but it's something that we have been determined to do."

The decision to extradite Kohli could be a legal first. The family were told by the Home Office that they have no record of the Indian authorities extraditing their citizens to the UK before.

"People said it had never happened before and we started to wonder whether it ever would," she said.

"It's really good to hear that our country is respected. We have to be patient now. It's been great news but we know that he can appeal. It could still be a long time but justice is getting closer."

If Kohli does face trial in the UK, the Fosters will be tested further.

"As parents thinking about a UK trial, we know it has to happen because nobody can get away with doing that to our daughter and not be punished for it, but we will be exposed to all the horror of what happened," she said.

"Although we are happy and delighted, it is a bit emotional and my mind races forward to what might be in store for us now."

A spokesman for Hampshire Police said the force had been made aware of the magistrate's decision to extradite Kohli.

"We will continue to work closely with the Crown Prosecution Service and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to provide the Government of India with any information required to further this process," he said.