UK police clear businessman of any wrongdoing

Scotland Yard has said that there is no case or investigation against businessman Tarab Raja and that allegations levelled against him were false and without any foundation.

Tarab Raja, who is a well-known entrepreneur with links to politicians in Pakistan, figured in Pakistani media widely when in December last year when he was linked with a trouble amongst two groups of PML-N. It was alleged by a group that Tarab Raja was responsible for the attack on a leading PML-N figure in Britain but the police sources have confirmed that Tarab Raja had nothing to do with the attack and it was Raja Tarab himself who was set upon by a group of men while he was waiting to welcome Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif at the airport on 4th December, 2016 along with dozens of supporters.

Some media had run news that Raja Tarab has been arrested but that news was false and now police have confirmed that their investigations have concluded and it has been established that Tarab Raja didn’t instigate the fight in any form. Those who started the fight had been issued with cautions but nobody was charged because of lack of evidence.

On 5th of January, 2017 PML-N UK’s President Zubair Gull was attacked at his home by three masked men who managed to escape. The police launched an inquiry into that attack and it was alleged that a senior official of the Punjab government had sponsored the attack through Raja Tarab to settle political scores. Again, this news appeared in various times in the media and name of Raja Tarab was mentioned.

The police have now confirmed that their inquiries have completed and no involvement of Raja Tarab has been found. The police said some progress was made in the inquiry with help from the CCTV cameras but the extensive inquiries found that Raja Tarab had no connection with the attack.

The police confirmed that it could not arrest, charge or investigate someone just because an individual’s name was mentioned or alleged to be linked with an offence. The police said that it goes by the evidence and takes action only when there is sufficient evidence and in both instances no evidence of involvement of Raja Tarab was found.

When contacted Raja Tarab said it was unfortunate that his name had been dragged unnecessarily by some people to make him controversial. “I am a law abiding citizen and I have never been involved in political tussles or related issues. I am an entrepreneur and I have worked towards creating a network of businessmen who have taken their investments to Pakistan. I don’t belong to PML-N UK and I am not seeking any position in PML-N and have nothing to do with any group. I have been offered a position by the leaders, however, due to business and work related commitments I am unable to pursue at this present moment in time. However, it is true that I am impressed by the work Shahbaz Sharif has done in Punjab and this view is shared by a vast number of professionals and entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds. This is a statement of fact and this doesn’t mean belonging to a certain party.”

Raja Tarab said that a campaign of negativity was run against him in media by some people to harass him and paint him in bad light. “I am glad that the police have clearly established that all allegations against me were unfounded and had no foundation in truth. This is what I have been stressing all along that I am being victimised and I have nothing to do, in any shape or form, with the allegations that were made against me. It’s great that the truth has prevailed now.”