Civil servant denies wearing make-up to feign illness during meeting
Kashim Chowdhury, a 55-year-old civil servant accused of fraudulently holding multiple public-sector jobs at once, has denied wearing make-up to appear ill during an online meeting. His trial at Southwark Crown Court is examining allegations that he concealed overlapping employment and used sick leave to manage an excessive workload.
The court heard that Chowdhury held eight roles between February 2020 and September 2023, earning £349,378 in total. At one point, he was allegedly contracted to work 183 hours a week; in April 2023, he received £11,015.62 in take-home pay from five employers. He told the court he had a genuine cold during the meeting and said PTSD, distress and concern for his mother affected his job applications.
In short
- Chowdhury denies faking illness with make-up during an online meeting.
- He allegedly held eight public-sector roles and earned £349,378.
- His trial is hearing his explanation for overlapping jobs and applications.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The prosecution’s case is that holding several overlapping public-sector jobs while concealing them, and using sick leave to manage the workload, may amount to deliberate fraud. The number of roles, the reported hours and earnings could support scrutiny of whether the employers were misled and public funds improperly obtained.
The case against
Chowdhury is entitled to have the allegations tested at trial, and the reported workload and earnings alone do not establish fraud. He denies staging illness and says he had a genuine cold; his account that PTSD, distress and concern for his mother affected his applications may also be relevant to whether any concealment was deliberate.
Explained simply
Public-sector workers are employed by government departments and other publicly funded bodies, sometimes in separate roles. Holding several jobs can raise questions about whether working hours overlap and whether employers have been told about the other work.
Fraud is the deliberate use of deception for financial gain, and a court must decide whether the evidence proves that an offence took place. In this case, the jury is considering Chowdhury’s work arrangements and use of sick leave, as well as his account of his health and circumstances.
Business Economy Government Politics World
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by Daily Mail as “‘Fraudster’ civil servant who worked five jobs at the same time denies wearing make-up to fake illness during online meeting”.