POLICE have re-launched an investigation into the death of a young father who was engulfed in flames at his home after a coroner said that he may have been murdered.

Parvez Hussain Shah, 23, of Princess Street, Great Harwood, died from 75 per cent burns after his body was doused in turpentine substitute and set on fire, an inquest at Blackburn Town Hall heard.

Acting coroner Michael Singleton said he did not accept the dead man's wife's claim that Mr Shah had set himself alight. He said Mr Shah must have had his way out of the house blocked once he was on fire.

The inquest heard the dead man's wife, Nahid Bibi Shah, deny that she knew about rumours that her husband had been having a relationship with her sister, Yasmin, at the time of her husband's death.

Recording an open verdict, Mr Singleton said that although it was possible that Mr Shah was murdered, there was not sufficient evidence to record a verdict of unlawful killing. After the verdict, a police spokesman said: "It is not anticipated that anyone will face charges in the immediate future, however the police would welcome information on this death from any source."

Mr Singleton accused witnesses of being involved in "a conspiracy of silence and misinformation".

The inquest heard that the Crown Prosecution Service had withdrawn a charge of murder against Mr Shah's wife Nahid Bibi Shah because of insufficient evidence.

Mr Singleton said it was clear that Mr Shah, a labourer, had been doused in turpentine substitute and set on fire in his back living room. Mrs Shah told the inquest she was the only other person present when the incident occurred. She said that during the evening of January 23, they had been watching a television documentary about Asian wives being set on fire for committing adultery.

Later that evening, Mrs Shah said Parvez asked her if she still loved him, and she insisted that she did. She said Parvez began to shake her and then he poured the turpentine substitute over himself. She said he then lit a piece of paper from the gas fire and set himself alight.

Mrs Shah said she left their house and went next door to her father Javed's house. She said she left the back door open, but Mr Singleton said he could only conclude that Mr Shah's way out was barred.

The day after the incident, Mrs Shah told police she had not been present when Parvez caught fire. She later admitted she had not told the truth and claimed that Parvez had killed himself.

Mr Singleton said it was quite apparent that the room had been tidied and evidence had been removed before fire officers arrived. It was clear that the bottle of turpentine substitute had been removed at some stage and placed in a bin and the gas fire had been switched off and the furniture had been moved.

He said: "I cannot and do not accept that Parvez Shah killed himself."

Yasmin Shah, the dead man's sister-in-law, told the inquest there was no truth in the rumours about Parvez and her. A policeman who attended the scene said he saw Yasmin hurl abuse at her sister Nahid in "a ferocious outburst".

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