Hearing halted over Chhokar's concerns

Two trials have failed to secure a conviction

Surjit Singh Chhokar's parents have pulled out of a meeting with a Scottish Parliament committee which is looking into the Asian waiter's death.

The equal opportunities committee will now delay taking evidence from Scotland's top law officers and Justice Minister Jim Wallace over the case.

Tuesday's session was the first time the Chhokar family has not attended any investigation into the handling of the murder inquiry.

Family spokesman Amer Anwar said they were angry that Mr Wallace, the Lord Advocate and the Solicitor General were being allowed to give evidence to the committee in public, but the family was not.

Mr Anwar said the family were unhappy at not having their say

Mr Chhokar was stabbed to death outside the home he shared with his girlfriend in Overtown, Lanarkshire, on 4 November, 1998.

The Crown held two trials but failed to secure any convictions for his murder, leading to the announcement of two inquiries by Lord Advocate Colin Boyd last November.

Sir Anthony Campbell, Justice of the Supreme Court of Northern Ireland was asked to conduct a judicial inquiry into the decision making process.

Dr Raj Jandoo, deputy chair of the Scottish Executive's Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Steering Group, is leading the inquiry into the treatment of the family.

The backbench equal opportunities committee was due to due to question Mr Boyd over his refusal to hold a public inquiry into the killing.

But after lengthy private discussions, the committee voted not to discuss the matter because of opposition from the Chhokar family.

Committee convenor Kate MacLean said: "I was under the impression that today's committee would be taking evidence on this and the Chhokar family were happy to come along as members of the public.

'Family felt insulted'

"That appears not to be the case so we have decided that under the circumstances it would not be appropriate to go ahead."

Mr Anwar, who was at the meeting along with Mr Chhokar's only sister, Manjit Sangha, claimed the original plan to question just the law officers and the minister would have led to the MSPs "being used as a PR tool for the Executive".

He said: "The issue we raised with the MSPs last night was that we were angry that once again the minister was being given the opportunity to express his views.

"The family felt it was insulting that they had to have their conversations behind closed doors."

Mr Wallace strongly rejected suggestions the executive had played a part in setting up a "PR exercise" through the committee.