Men charged with Briton's murder

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/gloucestershire/6231781.stm

Version 0 of 1.

Four Indian men have been charged with murder after the body of a Briton was found hanging from a tree.

Stephen Bennett, 40, from Cheltenham, was found in a village near Roha, 75 miles from Mumbai, on 11 December. He had been beaten, throttled and hanged.

The four local men have been charged with murder and conspiracy to destroy evidence. Two more are being sought.

Mr Bennett's parents have said they are unhappy with how the Indian police investigation has progressed.

Detectives initially said the father-of-two was killed after villagers mistook him for a sex attacker.

Statement retracted

He had apparently frightened a local woman by calling at her home in the early hours of the morning.

The woman panicked and woke up two men, claiming she had been raped, and Mr Bennett was then killed.

But she has since withdrawn her statement, the BBC has learned.

Mr Bennett's wallet, which contained more than £300 in cash, was found next to his body, along with his passport.

But the former actor's mother, Maureen Bennett, said the police were now looking into claims he may have been kidnapped.