Car hire boss is bailed in murder probe

AN Oldham businessman has been released on bail after being arrested on suspicion of murder following the shooting of an innocent shopworker.

Police investigating the murder of Nasar Shazad (30), at Brookhouse Wines in Salford, arrested Gulfan Khan, formerly of Howgill Crescent, at Leeds-Bradford Airport, as he returned from Pakistan.

Officers had received information that the car hire boss — who had been on the run — was coming back to the country and arrested him as he stepped off a flight from Islamabad.

The 36-year-old was questioned and bailed until April 5, pending further inquiries.

Five men, including Arfan Rafiq (26), of Villa Road, Hathershaw, were jailed for a variety of offences connected to the murder of 27-year-old Nasar on July 4, 2009.

But officers continued to hunt three men suspected of involvement who they believed had left the country, initially heading for Pakistan.

Khan and Mohammed Safdar (30), formerly of Pitt Street, Oldham, had been arrested and bailed pending further inquiries in September, 2009, but then disappeared.

Tanveer Akbar (30), formerly of Bolton, left the country at the time of the killing and was never arrested.

The shooting was sparked by two gangs in Bolton, including the shop’s owners, who had become embroiled in a feud.

One of the gangs called on an Oldham mobster to send out a warning to their rivals. But Nasar was not the intended target.

Rafiq was jailed for life and given a minimum tariff of 18 years for supplying the machine gun used in the murder.

Four others received lengthy jail terms in connection with the incident.

The gun was found in Oldham the following day.