Mehul Choksi’s lawyer Vijay Aggarwal in London jail, charged with 4 sexual assault charges
Mehul Choksi s Lawyer Vijay Aggarwal Faces London Charges
Bharatmorningnews.com – Mehul Choksi s lawyer Vijay Aggarwal, the 57-year-old criminal attorney who has been leading the extradition defence of fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi in Belgium, has been remanded in a London detention centre after the Metropolitan Police laid four sexual assault counts against him. His personal assistant, Manpreet Kaur, 41, was arrested alongside him and faces two related charges of encouraging and assisting sexual assault offences. The pair was taken into custody at a Mayfair townhouse on August 11 and appeared before Westminster Magistrates' Court two days later.
The Arrest and Custody Timeline
Officers from the Metropolitan Police seized both individuals on August 11 at a serviced luxury townhouse on 29 Brick Street, Mayfair. Police had been alerted after complaints of sexual assaults surfaced at the address. The pair was brought before Westminster Magistrates' Court on August 13, where formal charges were laid and both were remanded in custody. Their matter was subsequently transferred to Southwark Crown Court, where a plea and trial-preparation hearing is scheduled for September 10.
What the Charges Alleg
Aggarwal, born in Delhi, faces four counts of sexual assault connected to two separate women. Three of those counts stem from an alleged incident at the Mayfair property on August 9; the fourth relates to an earlier alleged incident on May 26. The prosecution's case rests on Section 3 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003:
"A person is guilty of sexual assault if he intentionally touches another person with a part of his body or anything else, in a sexual way, without that person's consent."
Kaur's two charges concern intentionally encouraging or assisting the commission of sexual assault offences, tied to the same two dates — May 26 and August 9. Reporting indicates the charges allege she lured the two women to Aggarwal by posting a fabricated job advertisement and then inviting them to the property.
The Mayfair Property and Wider Investigation
The townhouse at the centre of the case is described as a four-storey, five-bedroom residence offering a resident maid and daily breakfast service. Its nightly rental rate stands at roughly £2,000, approximately ₹2.6 lakh. Two additional individuals, a 23-year-old man and a 43-year-old woman, were also taken into custody on August 11 as part of the wider investigation. Both have since been freed on bail while enquiries continue. The two women who reported the alleged assaults are reportedly receiving ongoing assistance from specialist officers.
The Choksi Extradition Backdrop
Mehul Choksi s lawyer Vijay Aggarwal's professional role places him at the centre of one of India's most high-profile extradition matters. Choksi, the uncle of fellow fugitive Nirav Modi, has been held in Antwerp, Belgium, since his April 2025 arrest following an Indian extradition request. He departed India in January 2018, just before the Punjab National Bank fraud scandal broke publicly, and subsequently acquired citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda.
Indian enforcement agencies allege that Choksi, Nirav Modi, and others defrauded PNB of approximately ₹13,500 crore. Choksi has consistently denied the allegations. The arrest of his London-based counsel adds another layer of complexity to an extradition case already mired in diplomatic and legal wrangling between India and Belgium.
Frequently Asked Questions
What charges has Mehul Choksi s lawyer Vijay Aggarwal been facing? He faces four counts of sexual assault under Section 3 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, linked to two women and two dates: May 26 and August 9. His assistant faces two counts of encouraging and assisting those offences.
Where is the case being heard? After initial appearances at Westminster Magistrates' Court on August 13, the matter was transferred to Southwark Crown Court. A plea and trial-preparation hearing is set for September 10.
What is the connection between this case and the PNB fraud? Aggarwal was retained to handle Choksi's extradition defence in Belgium. Choksi is accused of defrauding Punjab National Bank of roughly ₹13,500 crore alongside Nirav Modi and others. The two matters are procedurally separate but linked by Aggarwal's professional role in the extradition proceedings.
Has Aggarwal entered a plea? As of the available reporting, no plea has been recorded. The September 10 hearing at Southwark Crown Court is the next scheduled procedural step, at which a plea will be required or a trial date set.