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Mehul Choksi’s lawyer Vijay Aggarwal faces fresh legal trouble in the UK. (Img: X)
London: Indian lawyer Vijay Aggarwal, known for representing fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi in fraud and money laundering proceedings, is facing an additional rape charge in the United Kingdom, according to details that emerged during court proceedings on Friday.
Aggarwal, 57, is being held in a London prison over alleged sexual offences. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) also referred to a charge of arranging or facilitating another person’s travel for exploitation. His assistant, Manpreet Kaur, 41, faces a similar allegation. Both have been linked to proceedings concerning alleged sexual offences and exploitation.
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A third accused, Hara Tibrewala, appeared before Westminster Magistrates’ Court on November 6. He denied the charge against him and was granted bail under strict conditions by a three-judge bench. Aggarwal, Kaur and Tibrewala are scheduled to appear before Southwark Crown Court on November 6 for a pre-trial hearing.
At an earlier bail hearing, Southwark Crown Court judge John Milne refused bail to Aggarwal, citing concerns that he could leave the UK to avoid trial. The trial was scheduled for March 15, 2027.
Court proceedings outlined allegations of non-consensual sexual touching and the recruitment of young women through a purported personal assistant position. The judge expressed serious concerns about the alleged recruitment process and the potential misuse of professional authority.
Aggarwal’s defence counsel, Sasha Wass, presented him as a person with an outstanding professional reputation and highlighted his detention at Wandsworth Prison in southwest London since his arrest in August.
Aggarwal and Kaur were arrested on August 11 at a property on Brick Street in Mayfair, an upscale London neighbourhood. The alleged offences reportedly relate to incidents on May 26 and August 9.
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The property, listed online as Mayfair Residence Townhouse, comprises luxury apartments available for rent.
Under UK law, the women identified as key witnesses in the sexual assault proceedings are entitled to anonymity. The allegations remain subject to judicial proceedings, and the accused are entitled to the presumption of innocence unless proven guilty.
