Chhokar family discuss inquiries

The Chhokar family is calling for a public inquiry

The family of Surjit Singh Chhokar have repeated their demands for a public inquiry into his death after meeting the men leading two probes into issues surrounding the case.

Spokesman for the Chhokars, Amer Anwar, said the dead man's parents had made various demands that they want to be met before agreeing to co-operate in the inquiries.

Mr Anwar said meetings with Sir Anthony Campbell and Dr Raj Jandoo on Friday were "constructive".

However, he said Darsham and Gurdav Chhokar would wait to hear further responses from the two men at meetings next week before deciding whether to take part.

Mr Anwar said: "Now the first demand obviously is an independent public inquiry, but there are a number of issues we have raised today.

Mr Chhokar was stabbed through the heart

"An issue I raised with Sir Anthony Campbell and the Jandoo inquiry is that the family must have a right to representation at both inquiries.

"The European Convention on human rights has strong arguments on such demands."

He added: "They are the family, why shouldn't they as a matter of fairness."

Mr Anwar said the family wanted to see a full examination of the criminal justice system involving anybody that touched the case.

He said there was no reason why the Jandoo inquiry could not take evidence from the family and their representatives in public and said the family had a right of access to all the evidence going before the inquiry teams.

Two trials have failed to convict anyone for the murder of Mr Chhokar who was stabbed to death outside the home he shared with his girlfriend in Overtown, Lanarkshire on November 4 1998.

After the second trial last November Colin Boyd, the Lord Advocate, announced the two inquiries.

Senior Northern Ireland judge Sir Anthony Campbell, Justice of the Supreme Court of Northern Ireland, has been asked to carry out a judicial inquiry into the decision making process in the case.

And the second inquiry, chaired by Dr Jandoo, will review how prosecutors liaised with the victim's family.

Mr Anwar said the family also wanted lay advisors for the inquiries.