The British Police have confirmed the identity of Maninderpal Singh Kohli, the prime suspect in the rape and murder of a teenaged British girl Hannah Foster.
The dead girl's parents, Trevor and Hillary Foster, said, "Kohli's identity in person had been confirmed by detective superintendent Alan Betts, the officer leading the investigation on behalf of UK police."
Both urged for Kohli's expeditious extradition.
The fingerprints and DNA tests of Kohli, who was arrested yesterday by West Bengal police, had confirmed his identity in person.
Refusing to take any questions, the relieved parents said, "We want to ensure that the suspect in this case will be extradited and receive a fair trial in the UK."
A cautious Trevor said, "We don't wish to do or say anything that might in any way jeopardise this process (extradition and fair trial)."
Congratulating the Indian police for arresting Kohli, the parents said, "We owe an enormous debt of gratitude to the Indian people."
"Not only have you come forward with new and important information to facilitate this arrest, but have taken Hilary and I, strangers from a distant country, into your hearts and mind during the short time we have been here," Trevor said.
He said that the sympathy, understanding and support given by people in India had given them great comfort and helped ease the pain of the tragic loss.
Seventeen-year-old Hannah was raped and murdered at Southhampton on March 14 last year.
Trevor said that they were sure that their journey to India would be worthwhile.
"Thank you all for your help, support and understanding throughout this trip," the girl's parents said in their brief address to national and international media.
Kohli, the prime suspect in this case, was arrested yesterday from Panighata in Siliguri while trying to flee to Nepal.
He escaped from Britain soon after he was identified as the prime suspect in the case.
Meanwhile, a local court in Kalimpong remanded Kohli to judicial custody till July 29.
The subdivision judicial magistrate, Kalimpong, Hargobind Singh, sent Kohli, a truck driver and a British national, to 14 days in jail custody.
Darjeeling Superintendent of Police Rajiv Mishra said during interrogation Kohli, who was arrested yesterday morning from Panighata, had claimed that he was "innocent".
Kohli had told interrogators that as he was a driver he had alighted at a pub, but when he returned to his truck he found the body of the girl in the cab. Shocked by the discovery and hardly knowing what he was doing, he had disposed of the body, Mishra said.
The SP said if after finding Hannah's body Kohli had not informed the police and disposed of it, it too was a crime.A detective of the Hampshire police of UK is scheduled to arrive during the day en route to Kalimpong to interrogate Kohli.
