Popular expatriate singer Roksana Mirza and her husband, realtor and construction contractor Azad, have alleged that they have been left destitute by fraud committed by Asef Bari Tutul, owner of Bari Home Care. The couple broke down in tears at a press conference held last Saturday at Queens Palace, New York, demanding the recovery of USD 650,000 they claim Tutul owes them. They warned that if justice is not served, they may be forced to take their own lives.

Speaking in an emotion-choked voice, Roksana Mirza said:

“I sold my jewelry just to fund the construction work. We have lost everything—our business, our reputation, and even our home. Because Tutul withheld our $650,000, the bank has already taken our only house.”

Her husband Azad added: 
“Sometimes the financial suffering becomes so unbearable that I feel like jumping from the 14th floor. This life has become unlivable for us.”

Azad explained that in 2021, he carried out construction work for two of Tutul’s properties located in the Bronx and on Church–McDonald in Brooklyn. Despite completing the projects, he claims Tutul has withheld payment of USD 650,000.

“I have asked for my money hundreds of times,” Azad said. “He kept stalling, promising to pay tomorrow or the next day. Four years have passed this way. Even after his return from Hajj, he promised to settle the debt but never did. Community members, including Nomi Bhai and Harun Bhai, are witnesses. Yet two more years went by with nothing but false assurances.”

He further alleged that Tutul retaliated by holding a press conference in 2023 where he made defamatory remarks against Azad, damaging his reputation and destroying his business.

Azad said he initially sought legal action: 
“I filed a case in court to recover the money. In the first year alone, I spent $70,000 in legal fees. The attorney demanded another $20,000 in the second year. But I was already financially broken. I simply could not continue the legal battle.”

When asked about posters and banners he distributed against Tutul, which some in the community have described as inappropriate, Azad admitted regret but justified his actions:

“Of course, it was not right to publish those posters. For that, I am sorry. But Bari pushed me to that point. He ruined me financially, made me homeless, and drove me to desperation. I even used my wife’s jewelry savings to complete his work, and he withheld all of it. Sometimes I lose all sense under the weight of poverty. He is responsible for this situation. Until I get my money back, I will continue to protest. I will shout in the streets with a microphone if I must: ‘Bari, pay me my money!’ Once he pays what he owes, I will have no further complaints. My demand is one: return what is rightfully mine.”