Civil Servant Claims Stress Led to Undisclosed Multiple Jobs

A civil servant accused of holding five full-time government jobs simultaneously has told a court that he failed to disclose his multiple roles due to stress and a recurrence of PTSD. Kashim Chowdhury, 55, faces nine fraud charges, denying any criminal intent.

Southwark Crown Court heard that between February 2020 and September 2023, Chowdhury held eight positions, earning a total of £349,378. At the peak of his employment, he allegedly held five full-time jobs, with contracted hours totaling 183 per week. In April 2023 alone, his take-home wages from five employers amounted to £11,015.62, followed by another £8,745.88 in May.

Chowdhury allegedly exploited the post-Covid work-from-home culture to secure overlapping roles with departments including the Food Standards Agency, the Home Office, and the Department for Business and Trade. He is accused of lying multiple times to obtain these positions.

Giving evidence, Chowdhury accepted he had made mistakes in completing employment forms but stated he did not believe there was criminal intent. He claimed that some colleagues and managers were aware of his other jobs. When questioned about why he failed to disclose his other employment on certain occasions, he cited suffering from stress and the recurrence of PTSD, a condition he was first diagnosed with in 2015. He stated that his symptoms resurfaced in 2021 while working for Defra and Tower Hamlets council.

Chowdhury also strongly rejected criticisms of his work performance made by former managers during the prosecution's case, describing the allegations as unfair and unreasonable. Jurors heard that one manager at Defra had described his performance as 'very poor,' claiming he could not complete basic management tasks to the expected standard.

Lost Devices and Personal Background

The court also heard about three mobile phones and memory sticks that were lost after being collected as part of the investigation. These devices were reportedly sent by courier to Defra's digital forensics unit but never arrived. Chowdhury's solicitor described him as 'extremely distressed and upset' by the loss, stating the phones contained irreplaceable information, including contemporaneous notes, personal journals, WhatsApp messages, and documents relating to his government work.

A Sony Vaio laptop was also reported missing after a search of a property. Chowdhury stated it contained work documents, project plans, meeting notes, and performance review reports. He became aware of its absence in December 2023 when seized belongings were being returned.

Chowdhury has no previous convictions. He shared details of his personal background, including his parents moving to Britain from Bangladesh and his upbringing in the family home. He married in Bangladesh in 2019 and holds a master's degree in public policy and management. He spoke of struggling with job insecurity throughout his career, stating that the end of short-term or fixed-term contracts had a devastating effect on him.

The trial is ongoing.