KARACHI: A judicial magistrate reissued on Wednesday a warrant for the arrest of London-based businessman Sarfaraz Merchant in a fraud case.

He has been booked for allegedly taking away a Range Rover from the house of complainant Zafar Fareedi in the Defence Housing Authority, extorting money and extending him death threats in 2011.

Mr Merchant, who recently claimed that the Muttahida Qaumi Movement was receiving funds from Indian intelligence sources, is also one of the suspects in a money laundering case linked to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement in London.

The police had registered a case against him in 2014 at the Darakhshan police station and submitted a charge sheet against him in July last year in which he was declared an absconder.

Following the submission of an investigation report, a judicial magistrate (south) repeatedly issued non-bailable warrants for the suspect’s arrest. However, the police failed to execute the warrants and the court again reissued a non-bailable warrant against the suspect and directed the investigating officer to arrest and produce him in court by April 21.

According to the prosecution, the complainant had purchased a Range Rover in 2011 and the following day Mr Merchant visited his house and allegedly took away the vehicle. The suspect allegedly extended death threats to the complainant when he demanded return of the car, it added.

The prosecution further alleged that Mr Merchant framed the complainant in two cases, demanded Rs2.5 million against his release and then sent him and his family to Dubai.

It added that the complainant retuned in March 2014 for the recovery of the vehicle and money and lodged a case against Mr Merchant under Sections 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) of the Pakistan Penal Code. The police recovered the vehicle a month after the registration of the case.

Published in Dawn, April 7th, 2016