A Bradford man sobbed as he stood in the dock accused of murdering a colleague at the curry house where they both worked.

Mohammed Ahmed, 31, of Elizabeth Street, Little Horton, made his first appearance in court charged with the murder of Syed Ghulan Zilani, also of Bradford.

Mr Zilani, 48, of Ramsey Street, West Bowling, was found with a stab wound at the India Palace restaurant in Smyth Street, Wakefield, in the early hours of Sunday. He was taken to Pinderfields Hospital where he later died.

Ahmed, wearing a grey jumper, spoke only once to confirm his name and address during yesterday’s hearing at Wakefield Magistrates’ Court An interpreter was sworn in prior to the 45-minute hearing to translate the proceedings into Bengali for Ahmed, who stood with his head bowed and wiped away tears with a handkerchief.

Ahmed arrived in the UK in 2005 and has family in the Bradford area, as well as a brother and sister in London and Birmingham.

He had worked for some time in the kitchen of the India Palace, where Mr Zilani was also employed. Both men originate from Bangladesh.

The court heard that the restaurant was managed by Ahmed’s brother-in-law Siddique Miah, 39, of Elizabeth Street, Bradford.

Miah had appeared in court on Tuesday charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice in connection with Mr Zilani’s death.

David Taylor, prosecuting, said a post-mortem examination had revealed that Mr Zilani died as a result of a stabbing.

Mr Taylor invited the magistrates to commit Ahmed’s case to crown court to be heard in conjunction with that of Miah.

Aziz Rahman, for Ahmed, applied for bail on behalf of his client.

But Linda Sturch, chairman of the Bench, told Ahmed: “Your case is going to be sent to the crown court and you are going to be remanded in custody.”

Ahmed nodded to his translator to confirm he had understood before being led away from the dock.

His case has been scheduled to be listed at Leeds Crown Court on June 24.

l Seven other men and one woman, all from Bradford, were released on police bail earlier this week after being arrested in connection with the incident.

e-mail: will.kilner@telegraphandargus.co.uk