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A 54-year-old deshi man residing in Tower Hamlets has pleaded not guilty to nine counts of fraud, accused of deceiving multiple government departments and a local council to simultaneously hold down several taxpayer-funded positions.
Kashim Chowdhury, appeared at Southwark Crown Court yesterday to deny allegations of dishonesty spanning a three-year period between June 2020 and September 2023.
The charges allege that Chowdhury lied about his employment history to secure roles at a string of prominent public sector bodies. These include the Home Office, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), the Department of Health and Social Care, and Tower Hamlets London Borough Council.
Furthermore, he is accused of defrauding the UK Health Security Agency, the Department for Business and Trade, the Food Standards Agency, and recruitment firm Venn Group, who were acting on behalf of the East London NHS Trust.
Prosecutors detailed how Chowdhury allegedly made false representations, including stating he was not already a civil servant in another department, that he was no longer employed by Tower Hamlets council or any other organization, and falsely claiming he was not hindered by other employment in fulfilling his contracted hours. The prosecution asserts that these misrepresentations were made dishonestly with the intention of personal gain.
Dressed in a dark puffer-style jacket and a dark jumper, Chowdhury, who gave his address as being in Tower Hamlets, East London, spoke only to confirm his name and enter his not guilty pleas to all nine charges.
He was granted bail and is scheduled to reappear in court next month for an administrative hearing. A trial date has been set for October next year.
A government spokesperson previously stated that efforts to improve detection processes and prevent public sector fraud had been "stepped up," highlighting the expansion of data analytics within the National Fraud Initiative.
It is understood that Chowdhury is no longer employed by the government. He was seen leaving the court wearing dark sunglasses and a woolly hat. The outcome of this case will likely raise further questions about vetting procedures within government departments and local authorities.
