BRITAIN: Hemant Lakhani is a businessman and was formerly director of a West End clothing firm.
His north London neighbours, who knew him as a textile importer, were astonished at the arrival of Scotland Yard officers at the family home in Hendon on Tuesday afternoon. As many as 20 detectives broke down the front door of the semi-detached house, which is on sale for pounds sterling 700,000. Officers also raided another address used by Mr Lakhani nearby.
A former neighbour said he believed Mr Lakhani came from Bombay and dealt in textiles. Mr Lakhani and his wife Kusum (66) are understood to have a son, Sanjay, who lives in New Jersey and works in the garment trade. Both husband and wife were had been directors of Reliance Clothing Company Ltd, which was dissolved in 1992. Mr Lakhani evidently had contacts in Russia: another director of Reliance was an Indian national who at the time was living in Moscow. - (Guardian Service)