Bail extended for MQM chief Altaf, 3 others in money laundering case

LONDON: London Metropolitan police has extended the bail for Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain in the ongoing money laundering investigation until October, reliable sources told Geo News on Wednesday.

Sources said that London police has decided to extend the bail of four suspects in the case – MQM chief Hussain, senior party leaders Mohammad Anwar and Tariq Mir, and suspect Sarfraz Merchant – until October.

The MQM chief was on bail until July 15, when he was expected to appear before the Southwerk police station.

An MQM spokesman later issued a statement confirming the bail of the three party leaders.

"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," said the statement.

Geo News correspondent Murtaza Ali Shah said sources confirmed that the decision was taken by the police at the last moment when bail for the suspects was expiring in a week.

The sources close to the MQM and privy to the ongoing money laundering investigation said that the suspects are now expected to appear at their assigned police stations on their respective dates in October.

It is expected that two more suspects in the investigation will also receive extensions in their bail, they said.

The sources added that police had dispatched the bail letter, which does not have any changes and includes the same bail conditions as earlier.

Meanwhile, police sources told Geo News that the decision was taken after new revelations pertaining to the money-laundering and the Imran Farooq murder cases surfaced in Pakistan. The sources said that the bail has been extended so that the new facts can be further investigated.

The sources added that after further probe the two cases are also likely to be clubbed together as one investigation.