British police have launched a murder investigation after identifying the body of a New Zealand man's dead millionaire brother-in-law.
New Zealander Onkar Verma flew to England in February to search for his missing sister, Nancy Chohan, her husband, businessman Amarhit Chohan, their two infant sons, and his mother, Charanhit Kaur.
The family
have not been seen since about February 16.
Mr Verma spoke to his sister every day from his home in New Zealand and became worried when contact suddenly stopped.
Mr Chohan's body was found close to Bournemouth pier in Dorset by a canoeist on April 22, but was identified only on Thursday, police said.
But detectives remained baffled over the whereabouts of the 46-year-old's wife, their two sons and Mrs Chohan's mother, all from Hounslow, west London.
Scotland Yard said yesterday that a formal murder investigation had begun and they wanted to speak to two men, one who worked for Mr Chohan and his associate, about their investigation.
An initial autopsy had failed to establish a cause of death for Mr Chohan.
Police said some of the family's clothing and personal effects were missing from their house.
Mr Verma, 28, told BBC London he prayed for their safety and said he had been very close to Mr Chohan.
"He treated me as his own brother. It is a big loss for me and I know it is going to be a big loss for Nancy as well."
Mrs Chohan, 25, her sons Devinder, 17 months, and Ravinder, two months, and her mother Charanjit Kaur, 51, have not been in contact with relatives or friends.
A letter sent from Calais, France, apparently signed by Mr Chohan, which said he was tired of life in England, was believed to be fake.
Detectives say the family car was involved in an accident in the Southampton area a week after the family were last seen, but they did not believe any family member was using it.
Mr Chohan was a successful businessman who built his company, CIBA Freight, into a business which employs 30 people and has a $13 million annual turnover. In the week the family disappeared, Mr Chohan signed a power of attorney handing over control of the company to two employees.
- NZPA
