Subcontractor denies con man link

One of the subcontractors being prosecuted in the Paul Parmar fraud trial at Isleworth Crown Court has denied being in league with him.

Convicted con man Parmar defrauded three contractors out of £900,000 by posing as a quanity surveyor and signing off payments for work not carried out by two subcontractors (CJ 15 September).

Aytac Asaf, who’s Sidcup-based firm AJ Construction (AJC) was employed by Parmar on three refurbishment jobs in London for Frederick Sage, provided Parmar with a reference, claiming that he had known him for five years when he had only met him five weeks earlier. Asaf said: “I looked on it as doing him a favour.”

He denied channelling money back to Parmar after he was paid by Sage up front before work had been carried out. He said there was nothing unusual in being paid up front. However, under cross-examination he agreed it was unusual.

Asked by the prosecution to produce AJC’s invoices and VAT records, Asaf said he had not done so because he had not been asked for them. He insisted they were available, but that he had taken the advice of his legal team.

Parmar has admitted his part in the fraud. Fatah Bhalla, owner of Hounslow-based Advanced Distribution, denies charges of helping him to defraud Coffey Construction and Pel Project Management.
Parmar’s wife Sonal denies living the high-life on the proceeds of her husband’s crime.

The trial continues.