CONTACTS
SECURE EMAIL
sanjeev.sharma@equity.cjsm.net
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Year of Call – 2004
Inner Temple
QUALIFICATIONS
LLB Hon’s Law, LLM Corporate Law
MEMBERSHIPS
Member of the Criminal Bar Association
Member of the Midland Circuit
Member of the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple
Member of the Society of Young Asian Lawyers
Languages
Fluent in Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu, Gujarati, Mirpuri and has conversational German.
Practice Profile
Sanjeev is a specialist criminal defence practitioner whose practice focuses exclusively on serious and complex criminal defence work. He regularly receives instructions from clients and solicitors all over the country in all manner of serious cases including those involving allegations of Terrorism, Murder and serious and complex Drugs Importation and Supply cases in particular.
His particular specialism though is defending in ‘white collar’ Fraud and Money Laundering cases, which is where his particular expertise lies. He has defended in many allegations of large scale and multi-million pound Money Laundering, Carousel and MTIC Fraud, VAT Fraud, large scale multi-million pound Mortgage Frauds, Timeshare Frauds, Advance Fee Frauds, Chat Line Frauds, Phishing Frauds, Diversion Frauds, Boiler Room Frauds as well as most other if not all other types of Fraud allegations. He has defended in very many cases in which prosecutions have been bought by the CPS, NCA, SFO and also the MHRA and most other prosecuting authorities.
Sanjeev practices at Crown Courts across the length and breadth of the country and has appeared regularly at the ‘Old Bailey’ and in the Court of Appeal. He is predominantly instructed as a Junior counsel alone but has also been instructed in many cases as Junior to Queens Counsel working with some of the most eminent QC’s currently in practice. Such is the level of confidence that solicitors and clients alike have in him that he is also instructed to lead the defence team as leading counsel (often leading other more senior barristers) in large scale multi-handed conspiracy cases.
Sanjeev has a growing reputation for interacting easily with solicitors and lay clients alike, attention to detail, thorough preparation and for having a down to earth and personable approach. Invariably his work results in further instructions and referrals via word of mouth and personal recommendation. This personal commitment to every case he is instructed in has created strong and loyal relationships between Instructing Solicitors and clients alike.
Having been a pupil of Head of Chambers Balbir Singh in 2005 he has now developed, in his own right, a leading national practice in a short space of time which sets him apart as he continues to receive instructions from Solicitors and clients from the length and breadth of the country. He is way ahead of his 2005 call.
He is at ease with complex legal issues and document heavy cases that require careful and thorough preparation and is often instructed at the earliest stages of a serious criminal investigation, so clients have the benefit of his advice and assistance right from the outset.
TERRORISM CASES:-
Sanjeev receives regular instructions in high profile Terrorism cases and has experience in advising defendants and solicitors on pre-charge issues.
He was instructed as junior counsel in R v. SC et al (Operation Casebox) and R v. MIH et (Operation Knubby) cases involving allegations of supporting and being members of ISIS. He was also instructed in R v. SH, a case involving the dissemination of terrorist material. All of these cases were tried at the Old Bailey and received widespread national and international media coverage. The defendants were alleged to have been actively engaged in seeking to travel to Syria to wage warfare with the proscribed group “ISIS”.
Perhaps his most high profile Terrorism instruction to date was in the case of R v. NR (Operation Dowl) et al that was tried at the Old Bailey in 2017 before Mr. Justice Haddon Cave. The defendant was charged with two allegations relating to the commission, preparation and instigation of acts of Terrorism. The principal allegation was that the defendant intended to detonate an improvised explosive device within a bag at the gates of Downing Street, London and then seek to gain access to No. 10 Downing Street in the ensuing chaos with a view to killing the then Prime-Minister, Theresa May.
MURDER:-
Sanjeev receives instructions in a very large number of murder cases every year in Crown Courts all over the country including the Old Bailey. In an additional string to his bow he acted as Junior Counsel in the high profile murder case of R v. Jogee at the Nottingham Crown Court in August 2016 known as the “Joint Enterprise” case. This was a retrial following the ground-breaking appeal in the UK Supreme Court which held that the form of accessorial liability known as ‘joint enterprise’ was an erroneous tangent of law. He is, as a result, very regularly instructed to represent and advise clients who are serving lengthy terms of imprisonment having been convicted under the joint enterprise doctrine and is regularly instructed in Joint Enterprise/ Gangland Murder cases.
He recently defended the principal defendant (who was found Not Guilty after trial) in the Nicola Payne ‘Bodiless Murder’ trial in which the deceased went missing in 1991 and her body was never found (Operation Heat). The police investigation spanned over 25 years and the defendant was arrested in early 2015. The defendant was found Not Guilty after a 6-week trial. This case received extensive and widespread media attention.
He has also defended in very many cases involving alleged Conspiracies to Murder and alleged gangland executions and also in R v. UA a Murder case in which a suicide pact defence was successfully raised.
He is for many defendants and solicitors alike, their ‘go to’ Junior Counsel to defend in Murder allegations.
FRAUD and MONEY LAUNDERING:-
Sanjeev’s academic background in corporate law gives him a sound understanding of the commercial and financial aspects of serious and complex Fraud cases. He is often instructed in Very High Cost Fraud Cases that are invariably ‘paper heavy’ and require an overwhelming attention to detail.
He has been and is regularly instructed in almost every type of Fraud and Money Laundering allegation there is.
He was instructed to defend in ‘Operation Janitor’, one of the largest multi million pound VAT frauds to be prosecuted in recent years. 28 defendants were arrested as part of this investigation and were prosecuted over the course of three separate trials. Such is his reputation that Sanjeev represented a defendant in each of the three trials securing unprecedented Not Guilty verdicts in each and every case. An unrivalled success rate indeed.
He was instructed to defend in ‘Operation Perhaps’ a multi million pound Mortgage Fraud concerning a Pakistani spiritual leader, ‘Operation Kedenza’ a £160 million pound Cyber Phishing fraud, ‘Operation Petral’ a highly complex and serious Drugs Conspiracy with associated Money Laundering allegations, ‘Operation Falkenbach’ a multimillion pound Money Laundering case involving sham companies, ‘Operation Atrium’ one of the largest cash for crash type frauds to be prosecuted, ‘Operation Griffin’ involving the theft of £52 million pounds worth of Rhinoceros Horn and Jade artifacts by the infamous ‘Rathkeale Rovers’ Organised Crime Group, ‘Operation Tampico’ involving allegations of multi-million pound money laundering concerning the smelting of stolen gold and transferring the cash from its sale out of the jurisdiction to Columbia, ‘Operation Biscuit’ involving the supply of Class A drugs by a London based organised crime group into Plymouth amongst many other serious, complex and high profile cases.
Sanjeev received instructions in ‘Operation Harpseal’ which was a large scale and complex investigation into multi million pound VAT fraud and money laundering. Such is the level of his practice that of the 15 defendants charged he has received instructions to represent 3 at trial.
He was also instructed in ‘Operation Cladanthus’ which was a complex multimillion Cyber-Phishing Fraud, ‘Operation Twang’ that concerned the supply of multi million pound quantities of counterfeit cigarettes.
Such is the breadth of his fraud practice, that Sanjeev was also instructed in one of the largest prosecutions in recent times at the Old Bailey concerning the large scale professional and organised sale of unlicensed medical products and Viagra both nationally and internationally.
CONSPIRACY CASES GENERALLY:-
Sanjeev has to date defended in the full breadth of serious conspiracy allegations as well as large scale and high value drugs conspiracies including their importation and national distribution as well as Proceeds of Crime Act matters and most other types of criminal allegations.
He has also received a number of instructions in recent years in complicated ‘Sham Marriage’ type cases and also cases involving large scale and widespread sexual grooming. Operation Lyne’ concerned 10 defendants charged with allegations of rape and sexual assault as against child family members, amongst other complex and serious cases.
DIRECT ACCESS:-
As well as working conventionally as instructed by a solicitor, Sanjeev is also qualified to accept work directly from a member of the public or any organisation, generally without the need for, or expense of employing a solicitor as well. Please contact Chambers for further information.
What the Solicitors say:
(S. Soor, Head of Fraud, Director, Cartwright King)
“we have instructed Sanjeev on many complex white collar fraud and serious crime cases. His attention to detail and case analysis are second to none. He always delivers. Clients continuously comment on his excellent client care, diligence and his ability to get to the heart of a case. He’s our go to guy for complex fraud”(S. Soor, Head of Fraud, Director, Cartwright King) Read More
(R. Mann, Senior Partner/ Director, Mann & Co
(A. Rahman & T. Khan, Senior Partners/ Directors, Harris & Co)
(N. Hutchinson, Director, Senior Complex Crime & Serious Fraud Solicitor, Appleby Shaw Solicitors)
(Castle Solicitors)
NOTABLE CASES 2020
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R v. MB & 5 Others (Operation Quark) Isleworth Crown Court
MB was charged with the Attempted Murder of two persons at Isleworth Train Station and faced associated Firearm and Drugs charged in a case that centered around gang rivalries
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R v. JV & 15 others (Operation Linstock) Snaresbrook Crown Court
JV was charged with large scale drugs supply along with a number of others
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R v. TA & 4 others Birmingham Crown Court
TA was charged with 4 others with Conspiracy to Murder as part of an honour killing.
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R v. AW (Operation Pattonabbey) Leeds Crown Court
AW was charged with Attempted Murder as against 6 different complainants.
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R v. JC & 1 other Leamington Crown Court
JC was charged with joint enterprise murder and robbery.
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R v. TA & 1 other (Operation Domino) Leamington Crown Court
TA was charged together with one other with the offence of Manslaughter by Gross Negligence in relation to electrical wiring at a farm he owned and operated.
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R v. LT (Operation Prism) Leamington Crown Court
LT was charged with the Attempted Murder of a serving police officer.
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R v, LB & 4 others (Operation Plankton) Nottingham Crown Court
LB was charged with 4 others with the large scale theft of plant machinery.
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R v. US & 1 other (Operation Barley) Wolverhampton Crown Court
US was charged with 1 other with murder with a firearm.
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R v. DS & 22 others (Operation Ironrider) Leamington Crown Court
DS was charged with a number of others in a large scale conspiracy to steal and handle stolen vehicles.
Notable cases 2019
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R v. EN & 3 Others (Operation Zamba) Woolwich Crown Court
EN was alleged to have been part of a gang laundering money for an international criminal organization known as the Black Axe based in Nigeria.
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R v. ZA & 8 others (Operation Gamber) Manchester Crown Court
ZA was alleged to have been part of a large scale county line drug supply operation.
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R v. TS & 9 others (Operation Header) Northampton Crown Court
TS was charged with Conspiracy to cause GBH and Conspiracy to Supply Cocaine.
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R v. DR & 4 others (Operation Woodleigh) Luton Crown Court
DR was alleged to have been part of a gang that were involved in the execution of a rival gang member over the supply of drugs.
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R v. YSH & 8 others (Operation Dalmas) Kingston Crown Court
YSH was charged with a number of others as being part of an Organised Crime Group involved in the importation storage and distribution of multi-million pounds worth of duty evaded hand rolled tobacco.
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R v. NM & 8 others (Operation Hyperion) Worcester Crown Court
NM was charged with 2 of his brothers and other as being involved in a multimillion pound advance fee/ courier fraud involving elderly and vulnerable victims.
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R v. SD & 3 others (Operation Parham) Bradford Crown Court
SD was charged with being involved in a joint enterprise drive by shooting.
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R v. RZM & 12 others (Operation Epsom) Southwark Crown Court
RZM was charged with large scale multi million pound VAT fraud and evasion of duty in relation alcohol.
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R v. HM & 8 others (Operation Albany) Bristol Crown Court
HM was charged with the laundering of in excess of £7million generated through the fraudulent sale of alcohol through a series of alleged sham companies.
2018
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R v. AD & 5 others (Operation Pieman) Nottingham Crown Court
AD was alleged to be part of an Organised Crime Group involved in defrauding HMRC out of in excess of £1million excise due on tobacco products.
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R v. ZT & 3 others (Operation Mantle) Stafford Crown Court
ZT was alleged to be a part of an international gang involved in the laundering of millions of pounds of criminally obtained money.
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R v. NZM & 1 other (Operation Dowl) Central Criminal Court-Old Bailey
NZM was alleged to have organised a plot to enter Downing Street and kill the then Prime Minister, Theresa May.
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R v. AAS & 12 others (Operation Cornpipe) Kingston Crown Court
AAS was alleged to have been part of an organised crime group involved in the keyless thefts and re-registration of high value vehicles all over the country.
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R v. NJ & 4 others (Operation Cognac) Manchester Crown Court
NJ was alleged to have been part of a professional money laundering gang involved in the laundering of millions of pounds worth of criminal money around the country.
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R v. LY & 13 others (Operation Evolution) Leicester Crown Court
LY was charged as the principal defendant of 23 in total charged with Attempted Murder and various other offences of violence.
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R v. IA & 3 others (Operation Portroyal) Central Criminal Court-Old Bailey
IA was charged with a joint enterprise murder with a background of gang rivalry.
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R v. NA & 9 others (Operation Falcon) Blackfriars Crown Court
NA was alleged to have been involved in a large scale Diversion Fraud which generated losses of in excess £10million.
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R v. TO & 3 others (Operation Texas) Inner London Crown Court
TO was alleged to be one of the principal offenders in a complicated and sophisticated fraud involving commercial insurance policies relating to bars and restaurants.
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R v. PE & 1 other (Operation Altior) Birmingham Crown Court
PE was alleged to have used a vehicle to murder the deceased.
2018
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R v. WG & 9 others (Operation Troop) Manchester Crown Court
WG was alleged to have been part of a gang that committed a joint enterprise murder upon a member of another rival gang member in Moss Side, Manchester
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R v. YM & 3 others (Operation Markie) Central Criminal Court-Old Bailey
YM was alleged to have been part of a drug dealing gang who were involved in a joint enterprise murder upon a rival drug dealer.
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R v. RH & 4 others (Operation Solaz) Kingston Crown Court
RH was alleged to be part of an Organised Crime Group involved in the theft and money laundering of £7million from Heathrow airport.
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R v. KB & 8 others (Operation Rake) Birmingham Crown Court
KB was alleged to be part of an Organised Crime Group involved in a complex and large scale ‘county lines’ drugs supply.
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R v. RD & 4 others (Operation Iridium) Wolverhampton Crown Court
RD was charged with a number of others including members of his own family of large scale ‘county lines’ drugs supply.
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R v. KS & 8 others (Operation Stalingrad) Nottingham Crown Court
KS was charged with large scale and wholesale Class A drug supply
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R v. KW & 10 others (Operation Kanteen) Brighton and Hove Crown Court
KW is charged with others in a complex and serious case concerning cross border money laundering
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R v. ST, DW & 20 others (Operation Harpseal) Leicester Crown Court
This case concerns a multi million pound VAT fraud and associated money laundering where instructions have been received from multiple clients.
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R v. OL & 3 others (Operation Cladenhus) Woolwich Crown Court
OL is charged with a complex and large scale multi million pound Phishing fraud
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R v. RW & 7 others (Operation Lyne) Wolverhampton Crown Court
RW is charged with 9 others with various allegations of rape and sexual assault of children most of whom are members of the same family.
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R v. TKP and 9 others (Operation Falkenbach) Southwark Crown Court
TKP is alleged to be part of an international gang of money launders charged with multi-million pound money laundering.
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R v. UA & 1 other Reading Crown Court
UA is charged with perverting the course of justice in a murder case in which a ‘suicide pact’ defence is raised.
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R v. AH & 13 others (Operation Skipsea) Nottingham Crown Court
AH is charged with 13 others in a large scale and complex ‘cash for crash’ type fraud in which AH is alleged to have fraudulently assessed the damage to vehicles involved in crashes.
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R v. NP and 7 others (Operation Biscuit)
NP was charged with 7 others in a case involving allegations of Conspiracy to Supply Class A drugs and Money laundering centering around a London based Organised Crime Group (OCG) which was dealing large quantities of Class A drugs on to the streets of Plymouth, Devon
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R v. RM & 15 others (Operation Dynamo) Stafford Crown Court
Conspiracy to Supply multi million pound quantities of Class A and B drugs by a West Midlands, Swindon and Derby based Organised Crime Group
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R v. WO and 4 others (Operation Nestor) Leicester Crown Court
WO was the principal defendant and a qualified Doctor charged with being involved in and facilitating ‘sham marriages.
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R v. GR, CD and 37 others (Operation Atrium) Carlisle Crown Court
Both GR and D are charged with being involved in a large scale lucrative cash for crash type fraud in Cumbria
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R v. AW & 6 others (Operation Predominantly) Wolverhampton Crown Court
Conspiracy to Supply multi million pound quantities of Class A and B drugs by a West Midlands based crime group
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R v. AA & 7 others (Operation Beta) Birmingham Crown Court
Conspiracy to Supply multi million pound quantities of Class A and B drugs by a crime group of Albanian origin
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R v. Ameen Jogee (Operation Tallgrass) Nottingham Crown Court
This is the leading case on joint enterprise in murder cases and was the re-trial following the successful challenge to the Supreme Court of the interpretation of the doctrine of ‘Joint Enterprise’. For a secondary party to be guilty of an offence, the defendant must intend to assist or encourage the principal. Therefore, the notion that that the secondary party might foresee that the principle might commit the offence is now insufficient.
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R . MSR and MIH (Operation Knubby) Old Bailey
Both MSR and MIH are charged with terrorist offences involving allegations of the provision of financial support to others fighting in Syria for Daesh.
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R v. LS & 16 others (Operation Petral) Manchester Crown Court
LS is alleged to be involved in the large scale multi-million pound supply and distribution of Class A drugs in the North East of the country.
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R v. AV & 2 others (Operation Tampico) Southwark Crown Court
AV is alleged to be involved in a multi million pound money-laundering scheme that concerns the smelting of stolen gold and transferring the cash from its sale out of the jurisdiction to Columbia.
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R v. KB & 5 others (Operation Solar) Manchester Crown Court
KB and her children were charged with complex multi-million pound money laundering and fraud offences
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R v. KB and 2 others (Operation Chordal) Leicester Crown Court
KB is alleged to be the principal of an organised crime group alleged to have laundered tens of millions of pounds nationally and internationally
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R v. WA and 10 others (Operation Kedenza) Southwark Crown Court
WA is charged with others in a highly complex ‘Cyber Vishing’ fraud to the value of £160 million.
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R v. SM & 14 others (Operation Springtime) Birmingham Crown Court
SM was charged with 14 others with the large scale supply and distribution of Class A drugs
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R v. AW & 12 others (Operation Perhaps) Birmingham Crown Court
AW was charged with a multi-million pound mortgage fraud concerning the acquisition of in excess of 75 properties by the principal defendant who was said to be a spiritual leader.
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R v. SB & 11 others (Operation Eastvale) Birmingham Crown Court
SB was charged with a multimillion-pound conspiracy concerning an advanced fee timeshare fraud involving 38 victims. Both SB and his brother were said to be controlling minds of the fraud.
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R v. TM & 13 others (Operation Griffin) Birmingham Crown Court
TM was a member of the ‘Rathkeale Rovers’ Irish traveller gang and was part of an organised crime group responsible for thefts of Rhino Horn, Jade and Chinese artifacts worth approximately £57million. This case received widespread national and international media covereage.
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R v. SE & 2 others (Operation Jitiri) Birmingham Crown Court
SE was charged with the murder and attempted murder of two polish males in Grove Lane, Handsworth, Birmingham on the basis of joint enterprise.
2015
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R v. NB & 1 other (Operation Heat-“Bodiless Murder”) Birmingham Crown Court
NB was charged with the high profile historic abduction and murder of Nicola Payne that dated back to 1991 in which the deceased’s body had never been recovered. The jury unanimously acquitted both defendants. Issues of contamination and plant of evidence were raised. The case received widespread national and local press coverage including the BBC, SKY News and the Guardian.
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R v. HS & 7 others (Operation Tavernier) Leeds Crown Court
HS was charged with 7 others. The prosecutions case was that the defendants were part of a conspiracy to bring workers in the clothing industry from Pakistan by inducing them with promises of work in the United Kingdom and then extracting money from them in the form of fees for arranging their entry to the UK.
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R v. PG & 3 others (Operation Quadric) Nottingham Crown Court
The defendants are all part of the same family and were charged with a conspiracy to defraud just short of £1 million from elderly males using a premium chat line company. The case received widespread national press coverage including the BBC, Guardian and Daily Mail. All defendants eventually received Not Guilty verdicts
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R v. SC (Operation Casebox) Old Bailey
This matter was prosecuted by the Counter Terrorism division
Led by Abdul Iqbal QC and represented SC who faced terrorism charges at the Old Bailey. The defendant was actively engaged in seeking to travel to Syria to wage warfare with the proscribed group “ISIS”. The defence successfully argued that the defendant should not receive an indeterminate sentence. The case received widespread national press coverage including the BBC SKY News and the Guardian. -
R v. AM & 24 others (Operation Harehill) Leeds Crown Court
D is charged with 24 others with the sexual exploitation of vulnerable young girls. One of the largest prosecutions of its kind to date.
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R v. Mohammed Qasim Yusuf and 27 others (Operation Janitor 3) Birmingham Crown Court
MQY was charged with a large scale multi million pound conspiracy to cheat HM Revenue & Customs by the submission of fraudulent VAT repayment claims and the setting up of companies for that purpose. This was the third of 3 trials, having been instructed in all three trial.
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R v. NM & 3 others (Operation Horncastle) Cardiff Crown Court
D was charged with a conspiracy to produce and/or sell counterfeit clothing. The case concerned an international conspiracy to import items of clothing from Pakistan, branded labels and then ‘finish’ the items in the UK for onward sale.
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R v. ZA and 27 others (Operation Janitor 2) Birmingham Crown Court
ZA was charged with a large scale multi million pound conspiracy to cheat HM Revenue & Customs by the submission of fraudulent VAT repayment claims and the setting up of companies for that purpose. This was the second of 3 trials, having been instructed in all three trial.
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R v. MC & 6 others (Operation Viscount 1) Birmingham Crown Court
MC was a 16 years old Afghani male charged with murder along with his co-accused of a Pakistani male in the Sparkhill area of Birmingham. The case generated significant media local and national media coverage.