Moment Sara Sharif’s dad & stepmum are escorted off plane by cops as they’re arrested on suspicion of ‘murder’
THIS is the moment Sara Sharif’s dad was nabbed by cops after landing back in the UK.
Urfan Sharif, 41, his partner Beinash Batool, 29, and his brother Faisal Malik have now been arrested on suspicion of murder after weeks on the run.
Little Sara, 10, was found dead at her home in Woking, Surrey, on August 10.
Urfan and Batool left Britain with his brother Faisal Malik and five children aged between one and 13, the day after her death.
Cops tonight met the couple in Gatwick Airport as soon as their plane touched down.
Footage shows police entering the plane as soon as it landed as police vans waited on the tarmac below.
The trio were then loaded into separate vans before being whisked away to be quizzed over Sara’s murder.
It comes as cops tonight revealed they have been arrested on suspicion of murder.
A police spokesperson said: “Our investigation into the death of 10-year-old Sara Sharif was launched following the discovery of her body at her home address in Hammond Road, Woking, on 10 August.
“This evening, around 7.45pm, three people were arrested in connection with this investigation at Gatwick Airport.
“Two men, aged 41 years and 28 years, and a woman, aged 29 years, were arrested on suspicion of murder after disembarking a flight from Dubai. They are currently in custody and will be interviewed in due course.
“Sara’s mother has been informed of this latest update and is being supported by specialist officers. Our thoughts remain with her and those affected by Sara’s death at this very difficult time.
“This has been an extremely fast-moving, challenging and complex enquiry and we remain absolutely committed to conducting a thorough investigation into Sara’s death.”
Interpol earlier with police in Pakistan liasing with cops in the UK.
On Wednesday morning Urfan and Beinash travelled on an Emirates flight from Sialkot in the Punjab provience to Dubai.
Pictures show the pair at Sialkot Airport with Urfan’s brother passing through passport control.
It comes as Surrey Police said on Tuesday they were working to secure the safe return of Sara’s five siblings from Pakistan after a court ruled the children would be temporarily moved to a government childcare facility.
The force said it had been working with Surrey County Council and international authorities after the Pakistani court made the ruling.
Were you on the flight? Email sarah.grealish@the-sun.co.uk
It is unclear where the children will ultimately be sent or for how long they may be kept in the facility.
The children, aged between one and 13 years old, travelled to Pakistan with Mr Sharif, Ms Batool and Mr Malik.
The children were carried by family members into court for around 40 minutes on Tuesday before being moved to another court as authorities tried to decide on their next steps, the BBC reported.
Sara’s grandfather Muhammad Sharif said he had been hiding the children in his home, but did not specify for how long.
It comes after a video emerged last week of Sharif and Batool reading a statement together about the horror.
Batool said her family “are willing to cooperate with the UK authorities and fight our case in court” – but moaned about the conditions they are living under.
Batool also said her family have gone into hiding as “everyone is scared for their safety”.
She added: “The kids are unable to attend school as they’re afraid to leave the house. No one is leaving the house.
“The groceries have run out and there is no food for the kids as the adults are unable to leave their homes out of fear for safety.”
How events have unfolded:
- August 17 – Sara Sharif’s body found with “multiple and extensive” injuries after her dad Urfan calls 999 from Pakistan
- August 19 – international manhunt launched as Surrey Police name Sara’s father, stepmother and uncle in connection with her death
- August 23 – uncle claims Sara “fell down the stairs and broke her neck” before family denies making statement
- August 29 – inquest hears that Sara’s death “likely to be unnatural”
- September 6 – Sara’s stepmother says family wants to “fight our case in court”
- September 7 – Pakistani cops raid 20 homes in Jhelum and Mirpur to draw out Sara’s relatives
- September 9 – cops detain ten close relatives of Sara to put pressure on Urfan
- September 11 – cops recover five children thought to have travelled to Pakistan with Urfan
- September 13 – Urfan and Sara’s uncle and stepmother thought to be returning to UK
It was the first time the pair had surfaced since they disappeared to Pakistan.
Sara’s body was discovered after Sharif called 999 from Pakistan.
The opening of an inquest into Sara’s death last week heard how medics have still been unable to establish a cause of death.
But Woking Coroner’s Court was told the youngster’s death is likely to have been “unnatural”.
A previous post-mortem revealed she suffered “multiple and extensive injuries which are likely to have been caused over a sustained and extended period of time”.
