Criminal lawyer Vijay Aggarwal, who represents fugitive diamond businessman Mehul Choksi, has reportedly been arrested in United Kingdom's London and remanded in custody after being charged with four sexual assault offences involving two women.
Aggarwal’s personal assistant, Manpreet Kaur, has also been arrested and charged with intentionally encouraging or assisting the commission of two sexual assault offences, a report in Times of India said.
The 57-year-old Aggarwal, and his assistant Kaur who is 41, were arrested by the Metropolitan Police on August 11 at 29 Brick Street in Mayfair, the report added.
The ToI report said that the duo were staying at the serviced luxury townhouse. Police were alerted after reports of sexual assaults at the property.
The two were subsequently charged on August 13 after appearing together at Westminster Magistrates’ Court. They were remanded in custody, with their case sent to Southwark Crown Court for a plea and trial preparation hearing on September 10.
{{/usCountry}}The two were subsequently charged on August 13 after appearing together at Westminster Magistrates’ Court. They were remanded in custody, with their case sent to Southwark Crown Court for a plea and trial preparation hearing on September 10.
{{/usCountry}}Born in Delhi, Aggarwal faces four counts of sexual assault involving two women. Three of the charges relate to an alleged incident at the property on August 9, while another relates to an alleged incident on May 26.
The charges allege that Aggarwal intentionally touched a woman in a sexual manner without her consent, under Section 3 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003.
Assistant accused of encouraging
Kaur faces two charges of intentionally encouraging or assisting the commission of sexual assault offences, relating to May 26 and August 9.
According to the Times of India report, the charges allege that she introduced two women to Aggarwal and invited them to the property after posting a false job advertisement.
The serviced townhouse where the alleged incidents took place is a four-storey, five-bedroom property, according to the report. It reportedly has a maid and daily breakfast service and can be rented for around £2,000 (approximately ₹2.6 lakh) a night.
Two other people – a 23-year-old man and a 43-year-old woman – were also arrested on August 11 as part of the investigation. They have since been released on bail pending further enquiries.
The two women who reported the alleged sexual assaults continue to receive support from specialist officers, according to the report.
Aggarwal represents Mehul Choksi
Aggarwal has been representing Choksi in his extradition proceedings in Antwerp, Belgium. Choksi has been in custody there since his arrest in April 2025 following an extradition request from India.
Choksi, the uncle of fugitive Nirav Modi, left India in January 2018, shortly before the Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud came to light. He later obtained citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda.
Indian agencies accuse Choksi, Nirav Modi and others of defrauding PNB of around ₹13,500 crore. Choksi has denied the allegations.