Chhokar family 'ruined' by case

Darshan Chhokar hit out at the legal system

The father of the murdered Asian waiter Surjit Singh Chhokar has told the Scottish Parliament his family have been ruined.

Darshan Chhokar, who was speaking through a translator, accused the legal establishment of treating him as if he was stupid because he does not speak English.

He said that after years of fighting for justice for his son he had "nothing left".

But the Scottish Executive rejected demands for a public inquiry into the investigation of the murder.

Surjit Singh Chhokar: Stabbed to death

The family gave evidence to the equal opportunities committee about the two reports into the handling of the murder case.

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

No-one has ever been convicted of murdering the 32-year-old, despite the fact that three men have stood trial at two separate hearings.

Reports into the case were made by Sir Anthony Campbell and Dr Raj Jandoo.

No public inquiry

Sir Anthony, justice of the Supreme Court of Northern Ireland, criticised the decision initially to put only one man on trial for Mr Chhokar's murder when three had originally been arrested in connection with the killing.

Dr Jandoo said he had found evidence of "institutional racism" within the system.

Mr Chhokar told the committee on Monday he believed the system failed his family.

Colin Boyd QC: "Ample opportunity"

He said: "You think I'm stupid, why are you putting me on trial, why do you keep on dragging me?

"The people that killed my son have ruined my family and destroyed me. What are you doing with them?"

However, Justice Minister Jim Wallace said a public inquiry would not improve the system.

He said: "I don't believe a further inquiry would add materially to the important recommendations to get our criminal justice system improved as a result of what's happening.

"I think the challenge is one of implementation and neither I nor the Lord Advocate, nor the Solicitor General underestimate the scale of the challenge, but it's important to get on with it."

'Passage of time'

Scotland's most senior law officer Colin Boyd QC added: "I come back to the fact that I didn't see any advantage in having a public inquiry at the time.

"It seems to me the only reason for having a public inquiry is, how will I put this, more greatly diminished by firstly the passage of time and secondly by the fact of these inquiries having done so well."

He said the family had been given "ample opportunity" to take part in the Jandoo inquiry and he rejected claims it was "fatally flawed".

Mr Boyd said previously there would be no "witch hunt" of individuals working within the Crown Office.

The committee heard that improvements had been made in translation services, and monitoring and training across the justice system.