Mahek Bukhari, known for her significant following on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, and her mother, Ansreen Bukhari, have been dealt life sentences for their critical roles in a chilling double murder.
The social media influencer, renowned for beauty and fashion content, took a sinister turn, illustrating the dangerous intersections of social media and real life.
The unfortunate victims of this gruesome crime were two 21-year-old men, Saqib Hussain and Hashim Ijazuddin. Their tragic end came about due to an explosive love affair between Saqib Hussain and Ansreen Bukhari, aged 46 during the affair. Threats from Saqib to unveil their secret relationship and alleged explicit content fueled this devastating fire.
In an attempt to retrieve Saqib’s phone, which they believed had compromising images of Ansreen, the Bukharis lured him into a Tesco parking lot. Their offer? A repayment of £3,000, previously spent on Ansreen. Yet, this rendezvous turned deadly when the Bukharis involved a gang of masked individuals. The ensuing chase saw Saqib and Hashim’s car, racing at terrifying speeds of 90mph on the A46, tragically colliding with a tree. The aftermath—a fiery explosion—led to their untimely deaths.
Judgement Day: The Court’s Stance
Presiding Judge Timothy Spencer KC painted a vivid portrait of the case: one defined by “love, obsession, and extortion.” He unequivocally termed the incident as “cold-blooded murder.” In an emotional courtroom, the judge did not hold back in his critique of Mahek Bukhari’s evident narcissism and the dangerous lure of online validation.
Her departure from the courtroom was marked with a poignant gesture—a kiss blown towards her father.
Judge Spencer shed light on Ansreen’s transformation from a typical housewife and mother to a conspirator in a heinous crime, influenced partly by the allure of her daughter’s online success.
The trial echoed the grief of the victims’ families. Among the many heart-wrenching moments was a statement from Mr. Ijazuddin’s father, Sikandar Hayat, who grappled with the assailants’ complete disregard for human life, evidenced by their failure to call for help post-crash.
The wave of sentencing didn’t stop at the Bukharis. Two accomplices, Rekan Karwan and Raees Jamal, received their judicial comeuppance. Notably, Jamal was already serving time for a previous rape conviction.
