A Bradford man wanted on an Asbo order has ‘gone underground’, a court has heard.

Despite efforts to track him down, Wazir Zaman Ahmed has ‘remained elusive’, Bradford and Keighley magistrates were told yesterday.

And Harjit Ryatt, prosecuting for Bradford Council, said if Ahmed cannot be traced before a new order deadline, the authority might decide “not to trouble the courts further”.

Ahmed, 47, of Woodroyd Road, West Bowling is accused of anti-social behaviour on a number of occasions.

These include – but are not limited to – possession of a knife in public, loitering, begging with harassment, theft, being drunk in a public place and wasting police time.

Mr Ryatt said an interim Asbo was made in February.

“The problem is the application was not served on him,” he said. “He has remained elusive since January.

“Police and other agencies have made extensive efforts to track him down but he seems to have gone underground.”

Mr Ryatt said that order was due to expire at 5pm yesterday.

“He was known to visit Bradford but he has not been seen at his tenancy address for a number of weeks,” said Mr Ryatt.

“He has friends with whom he can stay and we have tried to locate him at these places but so far without success.”

Mr Ryatt was seeking another interim order for two months in the hope police can find him in that time and serve him with the order.

“It is not effective until this has happened,” he said.

The magistrates set June 18 as the date of a final hearing.

“If he is not found by this time, a particular view may be taken and the courts will not be troubled any further,” said Mr Ryatt.

The new interim order expires at 5pm on June 18 on which date Ahmed is due to attend court.

The order is effective throughout the city of Bradford area.