Teen's accused killer appears in Indian court

The main suspect in the rape and murder of a British teenager appeared in an Indian court today was was ordered to be held in custody while extradition formalities are completed.

Maninder Pal Singh Kohli, accused of raping and murdering 17-year-old Hannah Foster, appeared before a New Delhi court examining a request from Britain for his extradition.

Judge Ravinder Dudeja ordered Kohli be held during the extradition process and set September 17 for hearing the Indian government’s evidence against the suspect.

Foster was abducted near her home in Portswood, Southampton, on March 14 last year. Her body was found two days later and a post-mortem examination revealed she had been raped and strangled.

Kohli fled to India shortly after he was identified by police as the prime suspect. British police have issued a warrant for Kohli’s arrest, and have sought his extradition from India to stand trial.

Kohli was arrested in July in India’s West Bengal state.