Shot Darras Hall businessman to face fraud probe

Oct 3 2009 by Sophie Doughty, The Journal

A BUSINESSMAN who was blasted in the legs with a shotgun has been questioned by police investigating fraudulent insurance claims.

Amjed Malik is understood to have been arrested at his home in Newcastle’s West End on Thursday as officers searched properties and seized documents.

The 31-year-old is still recovering after he was shot at a house on the Darras Hall estate, in Northumberland, last month.

He was questioned on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud and released on bail.

Officers from Northumbria Police searched three homes and three business premises in Newcastle’s West End on Thursday morning as part of an ongoing investigation into suspected fraudulent insurance claims.

And documents and computer equipment were seized from the premises which are understood to include Mr Malik’s family home in Fenham, offices on West Road, from which he runs his insurance company AMG, and nearby ACS Property offices.

The searches came as a result of complaints from the insurance industry relating to suspected fraudulent claims by claim management companies.

Insp Steve Hails, of Northumbria Police’s Newcastle Area Command, said: “The searches were carried out and are part of an ongoing, long-term investigation into insurance fraud.

“Local officers will be carrying out additional patrols across the area to reassure people and tell them about the action taken.”

Mr Malik, 31, was in a house on the plush Darras Hall estate, in Northumberland, when he was shot in the leg, in August.

The father-of-two was rushed to hospital where he had to undergo two operations to save his leg. And surgeons had to remove 50 pellets from a sawn-off shotgun that were embedded in his leg.

But police said the fraud probe began many months ago, long before the shooting.

Shakir Javid, 32, of Bolbec Road, Fenham, Newcastle and Shazad Dhean – also known as Rafi Hussain, 31, of Fallowfield, Manchester, were charged with conspiracy to cause Mr Malik grievous bodily harm. They have both been remanded in custody and will appear before Newcastle Crown Court at a later date.

Javid is also charged with causing criminal damage to a BMW car owned by Nadia Dhean in West Road, Newcastle on August 6 and making threatening telephone calls intended to intimidate Ms Dhean on September 5.