Choksi's lawyer Vijay Aggarwal faces fresh rape allegation as UK sexual assault case widens

United Kingdom: Indian criminal lawyer Vijay Aggarwal, known for representing fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi, has appeared before Southwark Crown Court in London earlier today, where he faced an additional allegation of rape. This comes after he was arrested in London last month on sexual assault charges.

According to reports, 57-year-old Aggarwal is already facing four counts of sexual assault involving two women. He was arrested in London on August 11 and has remained in custody. His assistant, Manpreet Kaur, is also in custody and faces two counts of intentionally encouraging or assisting sexual assault.

According to the Metropolitan Police, officers attended a property on Brick Street in Mayfair on August 11 following reports of alleged sexual assaults said to have taken place on May 26 and August 9. In addition to Aggarwal and Kaur, a 23-year-old man and a 43-year-old woman were arrested in connection with the investigation. The two were subsequently released on bail pending further inquiries.

During Thursday's hearing, both the accused spoke only to confirm their names and they are now set to remain behind bars until the start of their trial which has been scheduled to take place March 15 2027 unless they are granted bail in the interim.

Furthermore, Crown Prosecution Service barrister Oliver Weetch asked the court for more time, seeking to delay the filing of the indictment until next month because of what it described as the complexity of the ongoing police investigation.

CPS barrister Weetch told the judge that the inquiry concerns a series of alleged sexual offences involving three complainants. He added that investigators were examining allegations from at least one additional complainant involving alleged sexual intercourse, and said the continuing inquiries could also identify further participants or complainants.

Meanwhile, defence lawyer Sasha Wass described Aggarwal as a man of “exemplary good character” and sought greater clarity from prosecutors so that it could make a meaningful application for bail. No plea of guilty or not guilty was taken at Thursday's hearing because the charges have not yet been finalised in the indictment.

The judge ordered prosecutors to file the indictment by September 23. Aggarwal and Kaur are currently expected to remain in custody unless granted bail, with their trial scheduled to begin on March 15, 2027.