Money laundering case: MQM leader Muhammad Anwar released on bail

MQM leader Haider Abbas Rizvi confirms the arrest of MQM chief's close aide

KARACHI: Metropolitan Police released Muttahida Qaumi Movement leader Muhammad Anwar on bail, hours after he was detained on Wednesday on suspicion of money laundering.

Muhammad Anwar is a close aide of MQM chief Altaf Hussain, and a member of party's central coordination committee.

“MQM worker Muhammad Anwar has been detained by MET Police ,” MQM leader Haider Abbas Rizvi had told the Express News.

The 64-year-old was arrested during a raid at his house by London's counter-terrorism department.

The senior leader was shifted to Central Police Station in London, while the Scotland Yard was searching his house.

Confirming the news of the arrest, MQM's Rabita committee claimed, "Muhammad Anwar is not involved in money laundering."

"We will continue to coordinate with police," the committee added.

Earlier today, MET in a press release stated they had detained a 64-year-old man on the suspicion of money laundering. However, the press release did not mention a name.

Responding to the news, sources ruled out the possibility of MQM chief Altaf Hussain being detained by the police.

"We are still verifying who the party members detained are. But it is not the MQM chief," the sources had claimed.

“This arrest is part of an on going investigation into money laundering,” a MET press release stated.

The arrest took place at a residential address in north west London.

“He has since been taken into custody at a central London police station and enquiries continue.” Further, the press release stated officers are at present searching the address.

It added that five other men previously arrested in connection with the investigation into money laundering remain on police bail.

The details shared in the press release for the previous arrests were:

[A] aged 73 and [B] aged 44, were arrested on 5 December 2013 on suspicion of money laundering and are on police bail to dates in April.

[C] aged 61 was arrested on 3 June 2014 on suspicion of money laundering and is on police bail to a date in April.

On 12 January [D] aged 41 attended a police station in Greater Manchester by appointment where he was arrested on suspicion of money laundering and later released on police bail to a date in April.

On 17 February [E] aged 27 attended a police station in Suffolk where he was arrested on suspicion of money laundering and later released on police bail to a date in April.

Police bail is the term used when a person arrested in connection with a criminal offence is released from police custody whilst the police investigation continues until they are next required to appear at a police station.

When a person is released on police bail they are required to return to the police station at a specific date and time.

MQM chief’s close aide
Muhammad Anwar, who is said to have been pulling the party’s strings from London, is one of MQM chief Altaf Hussain’s close aides.

A senior coordinator in the MQM’s coordination committee at its London secretariat, Anwar fled to London after the 1992 operation in Karachi.

He fled before the MQM chief left for London and arranged his residence at the time.

According to sources, MQM chief follows most of Anwar’s instructions in dealing with party affairs.

Anwar’s son in law, Ansbad Malick had also been indicted in money laundering case.