Former money exchange bureau owner, Ahsan Javaid, a British-Pakistani, has filed a lawsuit against Scotland Yard to reclaim nearly £600,000, which was confiscated by the police after the collapse of a high-profile £34 million money laundering case. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) had failed to substantiate their claims, leading to the collapse of the trial and the subsequent acquittal of Javaid.
Along with his wife, Amna Gulzar, and two other associates, Javaid was charged in 2018 with laundering millions to Pakistan and other countries through a network of sham companies. Despite being acquitted in October 2021, the police have not yet returned the seized amount, prompting Javaid to take legal action over what he claims is discrimination and unfair treatment.
Allegations of Laptop Tampering and Evidence Manipulation
Central to Javaid’s case against the London Police are four laptops that were seized during police raids in November 2017. Javaid claims that these laptops were returned four years later, but in a tampered state, with altered passwords and key evidence destroyed. He contends that these laptops contained vital proof of his ownership of the seized funds, and the police’s interference compromised his defense. The lack of access to this data, Javaid alleges, has hindered his efforts to recover the £600,000, which was confiscated under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA), a law allowing the police to seize assets suspected to be linked to unlawful activities without formal charges.
Javaid was first arrested along with his wife and two associates in November 2017, with charges being filed in May 2018. The prosecution alleged that Javaid and his co-defendants laundered £34 million between 2012 and 2018 by establishing fake companies and transferring large sums to Pakistan using false identities. The money, according to the CPS, was moved through 43 bank accounts and was hidden away before being sent overseas. However, the trial collapsed due to what was described as “systemic and catastrophic” failures by the CPS in handling the case. Judge Charles Falk, presiding over the case at Snaresbrook Crown Court, halted the trial when it became apparent that the prosecution was unprepared, despite claiming otherwise for almost two months. The CPS’s inability to present compelling evidence, combined with their request for more time to investigate, led the judge to criticize their mishandling of the case.
Discriminatory Treatment and POCA’s Impact
Though Javaid and his family celebrated the collapse of the trial, their ordeal was far from over. Despite being acquitted, the police informed Javaid that the £600,000 seized from him would not be returned. Under POCA, the authorities have the power to retain money suspected of being associated with illegal activities, even in the absence of formal charges. Javaid believes that his treatment by the police and prosecution was discriminatory due to his Pakistani origin, asserting that others in similar circumstances would have been treated more fairly.
Javaid shared his frustration during an interview, stating: “The monies we sent to Pakistan were remittance transfers. There was no money laundering or criminality of any kind. We sent money from poor and working-class people from the UK to Pakistan. Our companies were registered with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The police charged us in May 2018 accusing us of money laundering. We said from day one that we were not involved in any kind of money laundering but nobody believed us.”
He further emphasized that the funds were transferred through legal banking channels and everything was documented and declared, yet the police continued to pursue the charges. Javaid stressed that the police’s refusal to return the money even after his acquittal has placed an undue burden on him and his family, causing significant distress.
Police Handling of Evidence and Forensic Investigation Demand
Ahsan Javaid has also accused the police of deliberately tampering with evidence to obstruct his defense. He claims that the laptops seized during the raids were returned to him almost four years later, but in a state where passwords had been changed or altered, making the devices unusable. Javaid alleges that the police interfered with these machines to erase crucial evidence that would have supported his claim of innocence. The businessman has now called for a forensic inspection of the laptops to determine what modifications were made and how this may have affected the outcome of his case.
He asserted: “The police withheld evidence that was capable of supporting my case, interfered with my ability to provide relevant evidence and prevented me from accessing my laptops, which contained evidence of the legitimacy of the trading activities of the companies. We believe the police changed the passwords and manipulated the devices. We cannot get the evidence out of those laptops. We are now asking the court to order a forensic inspection of our laptops to determine what the police did to the machines.”
Javaid’s fight for justice is centered on the need for the court to hold the police accountable for their actions, especially regarding the seized laptops and the legitimacy of his trading activities. He insists that the laptops contain vital evidence that could prove that the £600,000 is rightfully his and should be returned without further delay.
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Legal and Institutional Reactions
As the case progresses, the Crown Prosecution Service has acknowledged the failings in their handling of the trial, with a spokesperson stating: “There was a failure to follow reasonable lines of enquiry to ensure a fair trial. We applied to adjourn the case and remedy this but the Judge ruled the scale of that task was too great. We respect that decision.” This admission by the CPS highlights the shortcomings that led to the trial’s collapse and has raised questions about the police’s handling of the case from the outset.
The Metropolitan Police, however, has refuted the claims of tampering, stating that the laptops seized during the investigation were not unlawfully manipulated. A spokesperson for the police said: “An issue was raised about the return of laptops seized during the criminal investigation. We dispute any allegations that the passwords to these laptops were changed or the laptops unlawfully tampered with in any way.” Despite the police’s denial, Javaid remains determined to pursue justice and hold the authorities accountable for their actions, both in the criminal case and the subsequent civil proceedings.
Ongoing Civil Proceedings and Fight for Justice
Javaid’s legal battle now centers around challenging the use of POCA powers by the police, a law that places the burden of proof on the accused to demonstrate that seized assets are not connected to illegal activities. Javaid contends that the £600,000 seized by the police was legally earned and that the evidence supporting this claim has been either destroyed or tampered with. He remains confident that he will succeed in the civil case just as he did in the criminal trial, emphasizing that the police’s use of POCA powers in this instance has been unjust.
Ahsan Javaid continues to fight for the return of his confiscated funds and the restoration of his reputation. Despite the collapse of the criminal case against him, the ongoing civil proceedings represent a significant challenge for the British Pakistani businessman, who has faced years of legal battles and personal distress. Javaid is hopeful that the courts will ultimately rule in his favor, providing him with the justice he believes has long been denied.
This article was received directly from the reporter.