The brother of an Indian housewife, who disappeared while visiting friends and relatives back home in Punjab, is meeting British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw to ask him to take up the issue with the authorities in New Delhi.

Jagdeesh Singh believes his sister Surjit Kaur Atwal was murdered and wants Straw to pressure New Delhi for an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

"We wanrt a credible investigation and we will be asking the foreign secretary to make that commitment to press the Indian government for a proper investigation," Singh said.

"It is our view that she was killed. The [London] Metropolitan Police is of the opinion is that she has been murdered. The factors around the case all point to a clear conspiracy to murder," he said.

Asked why he was not satisfied with the current level inquiries into his sister's disappearance, Singh said: "In India the standard of policing  is a matter of widespread documentation by groups like Amnesty International and suffice to say that the standard of policing in India isn't something that would inspire confidence.

"Thus our call today to press the Indian government for an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

"They are the Indian equivalent of the American FBI, they are a highly reliable investigative body, they have a high reputation and they have an awesome reputation for many investigations they have already conducted.

"Two British police officers have already visited India approximately two years ago. The Metropolitan Police have indicated they would prefer to work with the CBI for reasons that I don't have time to go into."

In a separate development, an Indian mother who migrated to the UK five years ago has revealed her fears that she may never see her two children again after they were abducted and taken to India by their father.

Rozbinbanu Sheikh hasn't seen or heard from her son and daughter since their father Feroz's last access visit in August.

UK police believe he has taken three-year-old Fahim and four-year-old Sainaz to Mumbai.

Rozbinbanu, 26, who is settled in Leicster, said: "I just want my children back - I can't live without them. I miss them a lot and I feel hurt inside. I was always with them and life is really bad without them. I have got nobody now my children are gone.

"I worry if they have eaten, are they safe and are they healthy? I don't sleep at night. Keep imagining that someone is going to knock on the door and bring the kids back to me.

"My greatest fear is that I will never see them again."

The UK and Indian police are working together to try to locate the children. Rozbinbanu's family in India is scouring hostels in Mumbai, clutching photographs of the children, in the hope of finding them.

Both Fahim and Sainaz were born in the UK and are British citizens. Their parents' separated in 2002. A court order
allowed Feroz access to the children on a weekend every alternate week. Their divorce became final this autumn.

It was during a routine access visit of their father that the children disappeared.

Rozbinbanu says: "I was thinking that maybe they had had an accident. I rang the police. They told me Feroz had cancelled the children's passports that I had and got new ones."

A Leicestershire Police spokeswoman said: "Officers are liaising with the Crown Prosecution Service in connection with extradition proceedings and are keeping Mrs Sheikh up to date with our progress."