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TikTok killer’s mother groomed my son in secret love affair before murdering him, says grieving father

Saqib Hussain was killed after being chased along the A46 by the Bukhari women and their associates

Holly Evans
Tuesday 30 January 2024 11:23 GMT
True crime documentary examines case of Tiktok star and convicted killer Mahek Bukhari

The father of a 21-year-old man who was murdered by his secret older lover and her TikTok influencer daughter has said he believes his son was effectively “groomed”.

Ansreen Bukhari, 46, had embarked on a three-year affair with Saqib Hussain and was responsible for his death after he threatened to expose their relationship to her son and husband.

Bukhari’s daughter Mahek, who had a large following on the social media platform, recruited a group of men to “jump” Hussain, which led to a car chase and his death after he crashed on the A46 near Leicester.

He was killed alongside his close friend Hashim Ijazuddin, who had accompanied him after he was lured to a Tesco car park in February 2022, under the pretence that Mrs Bukhari was returning £3,000 he had spent on their affair.

Ansreen Bukhari regularly appeared on her daughter’s TikTok videos (Screengrab)

Speaking ahead of an ITV documentary TikTok: Murder Gove Viral - The Mother and Daughter Killers, Hussain’s father Sajad has claimed Mrs Bukhari’s fame as a result of her daughter’s social media had led her to believe she was “untouchable”.

The father-of-five, 46, from Banbury, Oxon, said: “The fame had got to her. She thought she was untouchable, above the law.”

In several videos that racked up thousands of views, the mother-and-daughter duo could be seen lip-syncing and dancing to music clips, frequently referring to their close relationship.

She told Leicester Crown Court: “When I got married I was like a housewife, but with this TikTok thing I was going out more. It was like two different lives. It was more excitement. We were out and meeting people and stuff.”

Saqib Hussain was killed in a car crash after being chased by associates of the Bukharis (Leicestershire Police/PA) (PA Media)

Her daughter also told jurors that she would take her mother along to events and parties, describing her as a best friend figure who had supported her venture into beauty and lifestyle content creating.

However, Mrs Bukhari would soon embark on an affair with Hussain, despite being older than his own mother and him being aged just 18 at the time. The two began meeting in hotels in Birmingham and London, with images on Hussain’s iCloud revealing that they had met on multiple occasions.

“It would have been his first serious relationship. I think he fully trusted her,” his father told The Sun. “He was so young. It might not have been illegal, but it was still grooming, I think. She is older than his own mother. She should have known better.”

After she tried to end the relationship, he made a number of threats to reveal the affair to her husband and asked for her to return £3,000 he claimed to have spent on her.

Both denied murder but were convicted and jailed for life (PA Wire)

As a result, her daughter Mahek contacted a close friend, Rekan Karwan, to sort the money and a plot was formed to lure Hussain to a car park.

Shortly after arriving, he realised the trap and sped away, which led to a 100mph car chase that resulted in his death after his vehicle crashed and was engulfed in flames.

In a final 999 call, he told the operator “They’re trying to kill me - I’m going to die”, before he lets out a scream and the line dies.

His father said: “That’s probably the hardest part — to listen to his last words, knowing how they feared for their lives in those moments. He was begging for help.”

Both mother and daughter had denied two counts of murder and two counts of manslaughter, but were found guilty following a trial. Mahek, who was branded “entirely self-obsessed” was jailed for life and ordered to serve at least 31 years and eight months, while her mother was jailed for a minimum term of 26 years.

“I don’t feel any ­sympathy towards them because of the amount of lies they told and not showing any sort of remorse,” their victim’s father said.

The family of Hussain have said they are “shattered” by the deaths and added they “do not feel that we have received justice as we have now got a life sentence”.

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