London: Indian-origin woman, tried to kill magistrate mother

Kuntal Patel, a 36-year-old banker and daughter of an Indian-origin magistrate based in east London, has been charged with attempt to murder her mother following an intelligence-led operation by the counter-terrorism command of the Metropolitan Police.

Kuntal Patel, a 36-year-old banker and daughter of an Indian-origin magistrate based in east London, has been charged with attempt to murder her mother following an intelligence-led operation by the counter-terrorism command of the Metropolitan Police.

Patel, who worked for the Barclays Bank in Canary Wharf, was arrested on Sunday under the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act, 2001, and was charged on Wednesday night following the operation that included searches at three addresses in London.

Kuntal is the daughter of Meena Patel, who sits on the bench at the Thames Magistrates Court.

A police official confirmed to HT on Thursday that Kuntal attempted to murder Meena Patel between 10 December and 26 January. She was due to appear in court later on Thursday.

The police said in a statement on Wednesday night: “Kuntal Patel…has tonight been charged with attempted murder following an investigation by the Counter-terrorism Command”.

Kuntal’s arrest and questioning at an east London police station was preceded by the operation that included a search of Patel’s house in Stratford, east London, the police said.

According to local councillor Ron Manley, who has reportedly known the Patels for more than 20 years: “They are a very upstanding family. Meena is a magistrate and used to work for a local authority, Kuntal works in the City and her younger daughter Poonam is a pharmacist”.

He told the local media: “They are a Hindu family and I've known the two girls since they were at primary school. They have always been very polite, very nice girls.”

Patel’s arrest was the second arrest as part of the operation. The first arrest was of a 19-year-old son of Nicholas Sutcliffe, a senior diplomat at the Foreign Office. The son has since been released from police bail and will face no further action, the police said.