The mystery of a Bradford shopkeeper missing since 2020 has taken an extraordinary and surreal new twist today – after police revealed he has reappeared ‘safe and well’ just 48 hours after detectives declared him dead and arrested five people on suspicion of his murder.
Ismail Ali vanished after leaving work at Gulam Food Stores in the Lidget Green area of the city at 2.30pm on May 29, 2020, when he was 46.
On Monday three women, aged 47, 54 and 55, and two men, aged 27 and 51, were arrested on suspicion of his murder.
A senior officer also told the press: ‘After extensive inquiries we now suspect that Ismail Ali is no longer alive and we suspect that he may have been murdered’.
But today it was revealed ‘polite and religious’ Mr Ali, described as bearded, slim and just 4ft 8ins tall, walked into a police station in Bradford on Wednesday.
West Yorkshire Police have raided addresses on Beckside Road and Cumberland Road – the street where he was last seen five years ago – as part of the murder investigation.
‘A large amount of cash was seized’ from the properties and a money laundering probe has also been launched, the force said today, as the murder investigation was dropped.
This is the last image of Ismail Ali who vanished after leaving work at Gulam Food Stores in the Lidget Green area of Bradford in 2020. He has turned up ‘safe and well’ five years later – after five people were arrested on suspicion of his murder
Ismail Ali has turned up five years on and is ‘safe and well’, police said
His family have been notified but Ismail is being cared for by police.
A force spokesman said: ‘Detectives investigating the suspicious disappearance of Bradford Man Ismail Ali in 2020 can confirm that he turned up at a police station yesterday reporting to be safe and well.
‘Officers are working to understand the full circumstances surrounding his disappearance.
‘Mr Ali’s family have been notified that he has been found safe and well and is being safeguarded whilst necessary checks are being made.
‘Following the arrests on Monday, house searches were carried out at three properties and a large amount of cash was seized. A number of the people who were arrested remain on bail for money laundering offences.
‘Enquiries will remain ongoing for some time into the money laundering offences.
‘Officers would like to thank members of the public who shared the appeal for Mr Ali’.
Mr Ali’s reappearance is happy news for his family and an extraordinary twist given police were convinced he’d been murdered.
Five people including three women were arrested on suspicion of killing him.
Det Insp Tom Hilyer said the arrests were a ‘significant development in the investigation into the disappearance of Ismail’.
‘After extensive inquiries we now suspect that Ismail Ali is no longer alive and we suspect that he may have been murdered’.
He added: ‘We know as time passes allegiances change, any information could be key to getting answers about Mr Ali’s disappearance’.
Police are piecing together where Ismail has been for the last five years
Mr Ali was last seen working here at Gulam Food Stores in Bradford
Today the force revealed some good news about Mr Ali and will be speaking to him, and piecing together, where he has been since 2020.
At the time of his disappearance his family said they were desperate for answers about the whereabouts of the ‘polite and religious’ shop worker.
Ismail was being looked for in Bradford but had links to Dewsbury, Batley and Blackburn.
He was last seen wearing a red hooded top, black trousers and dark footwear and police released cctv from the shop.
‘I know him well as he lives across from me,’ a neighbour who asked not to be named said four months after he vanished.
‘He is a simple and straightforward man and very humble. I have never seen him shouting. I have no idea (where he is) but everybody is talking about it.
‘We are worried about him – he is a community person who we used to see every day. He was nice with customers and is a nice person and it has been quite a long time now’.
