ES News email The latest headlines in your inbox twice a day Monday - Friday plus breaking news updates Enter your email address Continue Please enter an email address Email address is invalid Fill out this field Email address is invalid You already have an account. Please log in Register with your social account or click here to log in I would like to receive lunchtime headlines Monday - Friday plus breaking news alerts, by email Update newsletter preferences

One of the people legally challenging Lutfur Rahman’s election as Tower Hamlets Mayor has had their van and business vandalised.

White paint was poured over Azmal Hussain’s vehicle and a window at his restaurant smashed just hours after he emerged as a signatory of the legal bid.

Mr Hussain is one of four people who submitted the petition to the High Court accusing Mr Rahman of being connected to alleged electoral fraud.

Police have confirmed they are investigating the vandalism which occurred on Saturday morning in Brick Lane, East London.

A spokesman at Scotland Yard said: “We can confirm that police were contacted about two incidents of criminal damage on Saturday 14 June.”

Officers said there were no witnesses to either incident and that enquiries are ongoing.

There is no suggestion Mr Rahman is linked to the vandalism.

Mr Hussain told the Standard: “Nothing like this has happened to me in 14 years here. It’s really shocking.”

It was Friday that the businessman along with three others emerged as being behind a petition to the High Court claiming illegal activity had swung the result of the Tower Hamlets mayoral election.

The document accuses Mr Rahman of being connected to alleged electoral fraud including the casting of postal votes in the names of people not entitled to be on the electoral register.

It also alleges that votes were illegally cast on behalf of other electors and that activists were paid to lobby people in and around polling stations.

The petition claims false allegations of racism were made against losing Labour mayoral candidate John Biggs.

The courts may now appoint a judge to investigate Mr Rahman’s election win on May 22 with the possibility of the result being overturned.

Speaking on LBC radio yesterday Mr Biggs accepted that as it stood Mr Rahman had won the election, but said he was angry about the way the campaign was conducted.

He said: “There are serious questions to be answered and the proper place to answer them is in the election court.”

Mr Biggs said it was not impossible that Mr Rahman, who used to be in the Labour party, might one day be re-admitted.

He went on: “I don’t think intrinsically he’s a bad guy, but I think he’s got some fairly dodgy company.”

A spokesman for Mr Rahman declined to comment on the vandalism or Mr Biggs’ comments.

He said that the petition challenging the mayoral election result did not raise any new issues or evidence.

He went on: “The Mayor has been elected and has a clear mandate.”

Scotland Yard is already investigating eight offences that allegedly took place during the elections and have so far arrested two people.

The Election Commission has said it is reviewing what happened during the mayoral, council and European votes.

The Commission has labelled the borough as a place where allegations of electoral fraud are more likely to occur.

Meanwhile the government has sent auditors into the council to investigate the authority’s finances.