Court cuts jail term of Pir but keeps fraud conviction

Mehboob Akhtar was convicted of property fraud, tax-evasion of millions; supporters say spiritual leader was given donations by followers

LONDON: Three judges at the Royal Courts of Justice have ruled that conviction of British Pakistani faith leader Mehboob Akhtar, of Stoke-on-Trent, last year was right on charges of multi-million-pound property fraud and tax-evasion scam but reduced his prison sentencing from 14 to 11 years.

In April last year, Mehboob Akhtar also known as (Saint Pir Pandariman), of Stoke-on-Trent, was sentenced at the Birmingham Crown Court for 14 years along with nine others including his wife and daughter after being found guilty of lying to mortgage lenders to amass nearly £1m of property. After a lengthy trial, he was convicted of 11 charges including five of conspiracy to commit fraud and cheating Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) out of £271,000.

Mehboob Akhtar’s lawyers appealed the crown court decision at the London High Court before a judge which was rejected. The legal team of Mehboob Akhtar then applied at the next level before three judges and as a result the sentencing was reduced by three years but the original conviction was declared correct and appeal on that court rejected unanimously by all judges. 

The appeal was heard on Tuesday at the Royal Courts of Justice where a large number of followers of Mehboob Akhtar gathered and staged a show of solidarity outside the court. They were carrying banners which read “Justice for Saint Pir Pandariman”, “voluntary gifts, voluntary donation – not tax evasion”, and “Saint Pir Pandariman”. 

Supporters of Pir Pandariman said that he was a great spiritual man who had helped raise several million pounds in donations to help poor people. They said that he had not committed any tax evasion and it was shown to the court that he had been given gifts -- a legal practise -- by his followers. They said that it’s a routine for spiritual leaders to get money from followers in the forms of cash and this can be explained only in cultural context of Asian and Muslim cultural practices.

Pir Pandariman’s wife Khadija Akhtar, 55, was convicted of offences including cheating HMRC and conspiracy to obtain a money transfer by deception. She is currently in prison for four years. Pir Pandariman’s daughter, Rushbamani Akhtar, 30, was sentenced to three-and-a-half years after being convicted of entering into an arrangement to facilitate the acquisition, retention, use or control of criminal property and conspiracy to commit fraud.

 

Seven others -- including two mortgage brokers -- were sentenced after being convicted of charges including conspiracy to defraud and obtaining money transfers by deception. They were Muhammad Hussain, jailed for seven years, Alfan Ali, sentenced for six years, Muhammad Gaffar, jailed for five years, Naqiat Akhtar, jailed for three-and-a-half years, Graham Lockstone, sentenced for three-and-a-half-years, Carla Parrish and Abdul Wahab, each jailed for one year.