Kashim Chowdhury, a civil servant on trial at Southwark Crown Court, admitted to making mistakes while juggling multiple full-time public sector jobs but denied any criminal intent. He faces nine counts of fraud, accused of earning over £284,000 by holding five full-time roles simultaneously across various government departments, including Defra, the UK Health Security Agency, and the Home Office. Chowdhury claimed some managers were aware of his multiple employments and cited stress and post-traumatic stress disorder as factors affecting his actions.
The prosecution alleges Chowdhury concealed his overlapping jobs by working remotely and exploiting his status as sole carer for his elderly mother. Evidence presented included poor job performance, use of sick notes to cover absences selectively, and an incident where he wore white make-up during a video call to fake illness. The case highlights concerns about oversight and accountability within public sector employment.
Read the full story: BBC UK News.
Source: BBC UK News. Aggregated summary, not independent reporting.