Suspect in Pakistani businessman murder arrested by London police

LONDON: The Metropolitan Police claimed to have arrested a man on suspicion of murdering a Pakistani trader who was found dead in a car parked at East London’s famous shopping centre in Stratford on January 9.    

A member of the public contacted police on Monday with concerns about a person who "had potentially come to harm".

The police have not named the victim but local traders told Geo News that his name was Chaudhary Khalid Mehmood, originally from Sargodha in Pakistan's Punjab.

The car was traced to the Stratford Centre in East London where Mehmood’s body was found. Police said a man has been arrested at a home in Hampshire and he remains in police custody.

Reports said that Met Police officers were contacted by Hampshire Police on Tuesday after a member of the public contacted them with concerns that someone could have come to harm in London.

Police are working to identify the man and alert his next of kin to the tragedy, said the police.

Local traders said that Mehmood owned a mobile phone shop in the Stratford area with another Pakistani in partnership. 

They said Mehmood used to buy phones from Eastern European dealers as well as other operators. 

It’s said that on the day of the killing, Mehmood was meeting a trader to do a deal of phone buying in bulk. It’s not yet clear whether the murder is directly related to the business deal.

Chief Superintendent Simon Crick, who is responsible for policing in Newham, said: "I know many local people use the Stratford Centre every day and this awful incident will of course cause considerable concern to shoppers and retailers."

"I would like to reassure people that a man is in custody and, while my colleagues in Specialist Crime investigate, we do not believe there to be any danger to other people. If you have information that you think could help us, I urge you to contact the police immediately." 

"Anyone who has information or material that could help police should call 101, with the reference CAD 4310/9 Jan.”

On Thursday evening, the police announced they have charged Vasile Gorghescu, 41 (20.02.82) of Rayner Gardens, Southampton, in connection with the murder. He is remanded in custody to appear at Barkingside Magistrates' Court on Friday, 12 January. The police said Vasile Gorghescu has been charged to the body of man being found at Stratford Centre carpark at 01:17hrs on Wednesday, 10 January. Detectives are working to confirm the man’s identity and inform next-of-kin and a post-mortem examination will take place in due course, said the police.