2.45pm
A New Zealand man whose English family has disappeared is pleading for information to help solve the case.
Onker Verma, 28, flew to England after his in-laws suddenly vanished from their home in Hounslow, southwest London, on February 16.
Mr Verma's brother-in-law Amarjit Chohan, 46, a wealthy haulage firm owner, was found
floating in the sea near Bournemouth last month.
He had suffered a violent death.
Mr Chohan's wife, Nancy Chohan, his mother-in-law Charanhit Kaur, and two infant sons -- 19-month-old Devinder and four-month-old Ravinder -- have not been seen since.
"If anybody has got any information about my missing family, my mother and my sister and my nephews, they should come forward to trace my family and help the police with their investigation," Mr Verma told a press conference early today (NZ time).
"It's a very difficult time for me and for my family. I have got a wife in New Zealand and she is co-operating a lot," he told reporters at the Scotland Yard news conference.
"Normally the Chohan family is a very happy family. There was never any sign of any trouble.
"My sister, she had a bubbly personality, she was very outgoing. My brother-in-law, he was a nice person. My mother, she was a religious lady," he said.
"I'm shocked at the news of my brother-in-law's death - that's a big loss for me.
"But I'm still hopeful and I'm praying to God for my mother, my sister and my two nephews that they return safe, alive and well."
Mr Verma's plea for information came as police named a third suspect in the case.
He is Peter Douglas Rees, 38, who has links to the Hampshire and Dorset area, said Detective Chief Inspector Norman McKinlay, of the Metropolitan Police.
"At present we are unable to locate him. We do believe that he is still in this country and he's a close associate of Ken Regan and William Horncy," Mr McKinlay said.
Regan, 54, alias Ken Avery, and Horncy, 50, alias William Smith, who both worked for Mr Chohan, are thought to have fled to France after being seen boarding a ferry at Dover on Wednesday.
Mr McKinlay said the Metropolitan police were working with French authorities to locate the pair.
"I would like to appeal for anyone who chartered a boat to the three men, Regan, Horncy or Rees, during a period of February to April, in particular in the south west coast of England -- or did they loan them a boat, or did they know if any of these three men have access to a boat?"
- NZPA
