The trial of two men accused of murdering a Medway grandmother and who have allegedly admitted their guilt, seems to have collapsed in India.

Surjit Kaur, who lived in Chatham, was beheaded after going missing from her son's holiday home in the Punjab region earlier this year.

Two men accused of the horrific crime, a nephew of her husband and his friend, were said to have confessed to the killing, according to her grieving son, Baljinder Singh.

Mr Singh, 40, of Imperial Road, Gillingham, had asked Gillingham and Rainham MP Rehman Chishti, to help him in his quest to see her killers brought to justice.

He feared the case would be hampered because of corruption among the Indian authorities.

Mr Chishti raised the matter with the Prime Minister in the House of Commons and liaised with the Foreign Office to help the family.

Surjit, 67, was a mother-of-three, a British citizen who had lived in this country for about 50 years and had a flat in Clover Street, and was on one of her regular trips to her homeland when she was killed.

Just last month, Mr Singh, a father-of-two, revealed the judicial process had started, with the accused pleading guilty to the crime in the Kapurthala district of Punjab.

At the time he said: "Several witnesses have given evidence, but process stops and starts about every three weeks and I still expect it to take up to another three to six months to finish."

Mr Singh was hopeful he would eventually see justice done, but now it looks like his hopes may be dashed as he has now revealed the case has collapsed as what is thought to be a key witness has pulled out of giving evidence in court.

According to Mr Chishti, both men have now been freed.

Baljinder said: "I'm absolutely gutted, words can't describe how I feel.

"When they pleaded guilty we thought they'd be justice for mum but now they've walked free.

"I feel let down by the Foreign Office, she was a British citizen, she lived in this country and has had no justice.

"In that country when they're let off, they're let off.

"We have no closure on this, we didn't even have a proper burial for her.

"We'll keep on trying to get justice for her but I know how bad it is out there."

Surjit's daughter, Nicky Kaur, from Dartford, is also still struggling to come to terms with what has happened: "I just don't believe this. My mum's been murdered and still there's been no justice for her."

She added: "There have been so many changes in the run up to the trial and now it's not happening."

Mr Chishti said he has set up a meeting with the Foreign Office in November to see what can be done to help the family.

He said: "To be told they've walked free because of the Indian legal system I'm sure is very disappointing. It's very surprising that somebody who has pleaded guilty is then allowed to walk free.

"Where you think you've got justice and then to see somebody who's been accused of committing this horrendous crime not to face a court then I think your heart is broken.

"I can't imagine what the family are going through."

"I have set up a meeting with the Foreign Office minister Jeremy Brown with the family and myself later in November and no doubt answers will be given to see what further representation will be made by the Foreign Office to bring to account those responsible for this murder."