LONDON: Citing lack of evidence, the Scotland Yard has dropped money laundering charges against Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) founder Altaf Hussain.
Similar investigations against another party leader Mohammad Anwar as well as Sarfraz Merchant – a businessman and one of the suspects in London money laundering case – were also dropped by the London Metropolitan Police.
The police had earlier in the month requested a two-week delay before deciding if they would try to seize the cash found in the MQM’s UK headquarters and the residences of Altaf Hussain and Sarfraz Merchant.
MQM leader Wasay Jalil tweeted, “It’s been a great day & we are thankful2 Almighty God that SLY have decided to drop Money Laundering case against Mr AltafHussain”.
Wasay Jalil also tweeted a statement in which the MQM stated that the British Metropolitan Police’s decision ended a process that had taken over two years. “[The]…party funds held by the authorities are to be returned; the application for cash forfeiture will be withdrawn.”
According to the statement, on hearing the news, Altaf Hussain said, “Today’s decision confirms that MQM has been innocent all along. The allegations levelled against my party and I have proved baseless.”
“MQM is a legitimate political party whose members strive for a better Pakistan. Now that we no longer face the prospect of criminal investigations in the United Kingdom, we might focus our efforts on the plight of all the people of Pakistan…” the statement added.
The London Metropolitan Police on October 13, following a detailed evidential review and upon receipt of legal advice, made the decision to withdraw their application in a civil case under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 for the forfeiture of over £500,000 in cash.
“The cash had been seized from a number of venues between 2012 and 2014,” read the report.
Having examined all of the evidence the department accepted that there was insufficient evidence to prove that the money seized was the proceeds of crime or was intended for use in unlawful conduct.
“Since 2013, officers from the Met’s National Terrorist Financial Investigation Unit have been investigating allegations of money laundering to which the civil proceedings were linked. Officers have worked diligently on the investigation and thoroughly investigated all of the evidence to establish if any laws had been broken in the UK.”
During the course of the investigation, at least six people were arrested, 11 others were interviewed under caution, a total of 28 interviews of persons under investigation were conducted at police stations and more than 100 statements of witnesses were taken, according to the police.
