It wasn't suicide, love-split model's family tell police

The family of a model who plunged to her death from an apartment block today urged police not to write off her death as suicide.

Sahar Daftary, 23, from Brentford, died after falling from a balcony in Salford Quays, Manchester, on Saturday. Her 33-year-old lover has been arrested and bailed until February.

Her brother-in-law Joe Karim said: "She would never commit suicide. It was against everything she believed in. She had everything to live for. She was a beautiful, intelligent, religious woman, why would she kill herself?"

A statement on behalf of Ms Daftary's family reads: "The family are devastated at the tragic loss of Sahar.

"She had booked a flight to Dubai to celebrate her 24th birthday on Christmas Day with five friends. We firmly believe there is no way she would have committed suicide."

Her family's discontent over the suicide claim arise from her unhappy relationship with property developer Rashid Jamil. Evening Standard can reveal the two "married" in a Muslim ceremony in Brentford last December, but Ms Daftary walked out after discovering he was married and his wife had given birth only months before.

She had quit her job as a personal shopper in Harrods to move to Manchester with Mr Jamil. They lived for several months in the Salford Quays flat, from which she fell to her death, before she moved back to London. As their split grew acrimonious, a tape of her performing sexual acts surfaced on a website earlier this year, leading friends to suspect somebody was trying to "shame her".

A source close to the family said: "They are speaking to police today. Sahar's family want a full investigation. They know Sahar had enemies, through no fault of her own but because she married this man.

"She was no jealous mistress and we are unhappy at reports that she is being portrayed as such. Sahar believed he was her husband. She was devastated when she found out he was still legally married to another woman. She could be unstable at times and insecure, too, like any pretty young girl who was badly treated by someone she loved, but if she was to take her own life she would have done it when the tape came out. Not now."

But police sources say initial findings suggest it was an accident or suicide. They are aware of the tape, but are believed to be not linking it to the investigation. The post mortem has revealed Ms Daftary's injuries were consistent with those from a fall. A Greater Manchester Police spokeswoman said: "We are still investigating."