A third man, Mohammed Khaliq (49), of Foxdale, New England, was also charged at Bridge Street Police Station yesterday. Akhtar (51), of Newark Avenue, Millfield, is the second former city mayor to be charged in connection with Operation Hooper – a probe into alleged vote rigging in the 2004 election. Yesterday Razaq (47) was charged with six counts of forgery, Akhtar with five counts of forgery and Khaliq with one charge of forgery. All charges relate to forging poll cards. Former mayor Mohammed Choudhary, pictured left, has already been charged.Today, Central Ward councillor Razaq was suspended from the Conservative group on the city council pending the outcome of the case. A city council spokesman said that Razaq could lose his seat if he is convicted.
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A word about evidence. Most of what people think is material evidence of a criminal offence is in fact either hearsay evidence (asserted, but without any proof) or circumstantial evidence (suggests guilt but does not prove it). For an introduction to the subject of evidence, try: