Met Police extends bail of Altaf Hussain, senior party leaders: MQM
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KARACHI: Metropolitan police has extended Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain's bail in a money laundering case till October, a party spokesman said Wednesday.
His bail was due to expire on Jul 9, 2015 (tomorrow).
Other senior members whose bail has been extended by the London police include Mohammed Anwar and Tariq Mir, according to the statement.
“We can confirm that the Metropolitan Police has extended the police bail of the Founder and Leader of MQM, Mr Altaf Hussain as well as senior MQM members Mr Tariq Mir and Mr Mohammed Anwar until the 5th, 6th and 7th October respectively.”
Altaf Hussain's last bail extension had come on April 14 this year after he was interviewed for more than five hours at a police station in London.
The MQM supremo was first arrested on June 3, 2014 during the course of a money laundering investigation initiated in July 2013 by the London Metropolitan Police, prompting thousands of people in Karachi to stage a sit-in calling for his release.
Read: Altaf Hussain arrested in London for money laundering
He was then shifted to Wellington Hospital over concerns to his health and underwent angiography and other tests. Having been discharged from the hospital, Hussain was taken to the Southwark police station where he was questioned for nine hours.
He was released on bail four days after his arrest in 2014, and has been granted four bail extensions ─ the first in July 2014, the second on Dec 3, 2014, third on April 14, 2015 and according to MQM spokesman, the fourth extension was granted today.
During their investigations, the London Metropolitan Police had discovered ‘a considerable amount of money’ during raids on Hussain’s residence and office in London.
A statement from the police had said that the cash was found when a counter-terrorism unit of police raided Hussain’s office on Dec 6, 2012 under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act in connection with the investigation of Dr Imran Farooq murder case.
In 2010, Imran Farooq, one of MQM’s founding members and a confidant of Hussain, was murdered in London.
