The brother-in-law of Amariji Chohan, whose body was found in the sea off the coast of Bournemouth last week, has called for people to come forward with information to help find his killers.

The murdered businessman's wife, mother-in-law and two young sons are still missing.

Onker Verma's plea to help find his brother-in-law killers, came as police warned that a third prime suspect in the case is at large.

Detectives have already named Ken Regan, alias Avery, and William Horncy, alias Smith, as prime suspects in the murder of the 46-year-old haulage firm boss, but admitted this week that Peter Douglas Rees, 38, believed to be a close associate'' of the two was also unlocatable.

Mr Chohan, his wife Nancy, 25, mother-in-law Charanjit, 51, and two baby sons went missing from their home in Sutton Road in February.

Detective Chief Inspector Norman McKinlay, leading the investigation, told the Times the third suspect had links to the Hampshire and Dorset areas'' and asked anyone who had lent a boat to the suspects to come forward.

He continued: At present we are unable to locate him. We do believe that he is still in this country and he's a close associate of Ken Regan and William Horncy.

I would like to appeal for anyone who chartered a boat to the three men, Regan, Horncy or Rees, during a period of February to April, in particular in the south west coast of England - or did they loan them a boat, or did they know if any of these three men have access to a boat? - and ask those people to contact me.''

Regan, 54, from Salisbury, Wiltshire, and Horncy, 50, from the Bournemouth area, were seen boarding a ferry at Dover on Wednesday from which they did not return and are thought to be travelling under their aliases.

Scotland Yard is maintaining close contact with police forces in Europe believing the two to be on the continent.

Two post mortems held this week were unable to ascertain the cause of death, but were consistent with asphyxiation.

Police believe Mr Chohan suffered a violent death before being dumped at sea, and are working on the theory that Mr Chohan was buried for a time in a field near Stoodleigh in mid Devon, after a five-day excavation in the Devon countryside yielded a number of articles connected to the investigation.

Mrs Chohan's brother, Onker Verma, 28, who flew to the UK from New Zealand after his sister's disappearance, made an impassioned plea to the public for help tracing his missing relatives at Scotland Yard last week. He told reporters: If anybody has got any information about my missing family, my mother and my sister and my nephews, they should come forward to trace my family and help the police with their investigation.

I'm shocked at the news of my brother-in-law's death - that's a big loss for me. But I'm still hopeful and I'm praying to God for my mother, my sister and my two nephews, that they return safe, alive and well.''

He added that he thought Mr Chohan's Southall-based business, CIBA Freight Services, which has an annual turnover of up to £4 million, was connected to the family's disappearance: I think my brother-in-law's business has something to do with their disappearance. That's all I can say at the moment. That's what the investigation is really... that the selling of the business had something to do with their disappearance.''

CIBA, which employs 22 people, imports fruit and vegetables to the UK from Africa, and it is believed is also involved in shipping the narcotic, qat, into the country. Although legal in Britain, qat, which can be mildly hallucinogenic, is banned in the US.

In 1996 Chohan was convicted of tax fraud with the director of another company, Jumbo Freight Services.

Police said they were following leads that Mr Chohan may have been under pressure to sell his business, before last being seen at the firm's offices on February 13th. Det Ch Insp McKinlay, added: We are obviously investigating the financial dealings of Mr Chohan and of course we have been looking at all aspects. Is it possible that he was intimidated or threatened? Was somebody trying to take over the company?''

Call the Incident room on 020 8247 7821 or the National Missing Persons Helpline on 0500 700 700 if you have any information.

May 8, 2003 17:30