YEAR OF CALL 2016

Mahesh is a skilled criminal practitioner with experience of both prosecuting and defending across the full range of criminal cases, including murder, large-scale drugs trafficking, and fraud. His experience with corporate and commercial defendants has allowed him to provide specialist advice in the crossover between criminal, commercial and regulatory matters.

Having worked closely with regulators and prosecuting authorities including HMRC, NCA, and the Bank of England, assisting and advising in large scale and complex commercial crime and financial regulation investigations, Mahesh is adept at advising in consideration of both the criminal and regulatory frameworks, and the commercial interests of his clients.

Mahesh has appeared frequently in the criminal courts in cases against corporations and their directors, including those prosecuted by the Insolvency Service. In addition, Mahesh’s experience advising high-net-worth individuals at the earliest stages of criminal investigations, and his skills as a criminal barrister, provide him with a firm understanding of the specific risks and considerations that flow from criminal investigations against commercial clients, placing him in a unique position to deliver practical and efficient advice.

In addition to working with investigators within HMRC, Mahesh assisted the Mutual Legal Assistance department in considering letters of request from international prosecution authorities, requiring cooperating with international authorities, assessments of Human Rights risks, and an assessment of the legal and evidential basis of international, tax-related matters.

He has also acted in large-scale financial services investigations conducted by the Bank of England, conducting regulatory investigations as part of the Bank’s regulatory function under the Banking Act 2009.

Mahesh has experience advising clients on matters under the Trade Marks Act 1994, having been instructed in private prosecutions, both for the prosecution and defence, on matters of counterfeit products and trade mark infringement.

Mahesh also appears in regulatory tribunals, representing individuals facing disciplinary proceedings. He frequently acts in a special counsel role, for the purposes of cross-examination of vulnerable witnesses or complainants in sexual offences.

He has an in-depth knowledge of legal professional privilege and disclosure, having been instructed as independent counsel and disclosure counsel to undertake vast disclosure reviews by agencies such as Serious Fraud Office, National Crime Agency, The Insolvency Service, Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs and Government Legal Department.

Mahesh is regularly privately instructed to advise and act in all aspects of criminal work and receives instructions to appear in the Magistrates’ Court and Crown Court privately.

Crown Court:

R v SAK (2024) – Junior counsel successfully represented a man with various vulnerabilities charged with being involved in the supply of class A drugs, relating to over 60kg of cocaine and crack cocaine. Following representations on both the evidence and public interest in the specific case, the prosecution offered no evidence.

R v RG (2024) – Junior counsel representing the first of eight defendants charged with conspiracy to steal and convert criminal property relating to over £1,000,000 worth of duty-free items stolen from British Airways.

R v SA (2024) – Instructed as junior counsel to represent a defendant charged with possession of articles for use in fraud and conspiracy to defraud.

R v CT (2023) – Instructed to represent a defendant charged with multiple counts under the Trade Marks Act 1994 of possession and selling counterfeit goods.

R v CG (2023) - Successfully defended the first defendant alleged to have planned and executed an armed robbery of three women and a man staying in an Air BnB together with three other men. The defendant was acquitted of multiple counts of robbery and possession of an imitation firearm with intent, and found to have caused grievous bodily harm when acting in excessive self-defence.

R v MAS (2022) - Junior counsel led by King’s Counsel to represent a man charged with murder following a single stab to the chest. The defendant was acquitted of murder and convicted of manslaughter.

R v CC (2022) – Instructed to represent a defendant in POCA confiscation proceedings where the prosecution sought an order for over £700,000 in relation to a counterfeit cheque fraud. Following argument, an order for approximately £3,000 benefit amount, with a nominal £1 available amount was made.

TIS v SS (2022) – Acted on behalf of the Insolvency Service to prosecute a man charged with offences under the Companies Act 2006 and the Fraud Act 2006 in relation to Bounce Back loans received during the Coronavirus pandemic.

R v MM (2021) – Instructed to represent a defendant charged with GBH in a domestic context. The defendant was acquitted after trial.

TIS v PH (2021) – Secured a conviction on behalf of the Insolvency Service in a prosecution again a man charged with concealment of over £50,000 from the Official Receiver following bankruptcy.

R v S (2020) – Represented a defendant in respect of multiple Class A county lines conspiracy cases involving many kilograms of cocaine and heroin.

R v SS and Six Others (2020) - Junior Counsel, Defended the first defendant in Kidnap, Blackmail, Robbery, Burglary. The defendant was found not guilty of all counts.

R v AK (2020) - Junior to King's Counsel, Conspiracy to Commit Murder, Possession of Firearm with Intent to Endanger Life.

mkaru@2hb.co.uk