Nurse death: four charged
THE twists and turns in the investigation into the death of Gold Coast nurse Ravneet Kaur continue, with Indian authorities claiming they’ve charged four people over her death, although they’ve neglected to tell Australian policing agencies.
Indian authorities claim Ms Kaur, 29, was on holiday with her four-year-old daughter visiting family in the Punjab region, before going missing on March 14. Indian police claim she was on a voice chat with her husband, Jaspreet Singh, who was on the Gold Coast.
Her body was found in the Bhakra Canal on March 25.
Inspector Mohit Dhawan from the Punjab region said they have charged four people over Ms Kaur’s death and Indian authorities were in discussions with the Australian High Commission over extradition processes.
Insp Dhawan said police would allege there was a “murder conspiracy” and that Wednesday’s Gold Coast Bulletin front page
those involved kidnapped Ms Kaur.
“Once we have completed the investigation we will start the extradition process … that will be very soon,” he said.
“We are in link with the Australian High Commission, we are telling them everything and hopefully they will co-operate with us.”
Any person extradited back to India and found guilty could face the death penalty.
“The maximum punishment for this offence is the death penalty, that’s on the prosecutor and the judge.”
One of the people said to be facing charges has denied the allegations.
“I don’t know what the basis of all these allegations is,” he told SBS Punjabi.
“I can’t say anything. I will have to go to India and find out what happened. I have no role in this whatsoever.”
It’s understood Australian Federal Police officers will meet with officers in Punjab next week. Gold Coast police sources have told the Bulletin they have had no communication with Indian authorities or Interpol in relation to setting up interviews with anyone said to be involved.
There has also been no communication surrounding an extradition, with normal practice dictating that both requests would come through Interpol to either the homicide squad or Gold Coast police.
Sources said one of the people being investigated went to Surfers Paradise police station on Wednesday and left on their own accord.
It is highly unlikely an Australian citizen would be extradited to India, even if prosecutors agreed to take the death penalty off the board.
A spokesman from the Attorney-General’s Department said they would not comment on the matter.