Barristers

Queen's Counsel

Appointments

Recorder of the Crown Court (2007)

Bencher of Gray's Inn (2004)

Standing Counsel to HM Customs & Excise (1996 to 2001)

CEDR accredited mediator (2007)

Reviews

Mukul has been recommended for many years by Chambers Directory and the Legal 500. In Chambers Directory he has been and is currently recommended in Crime, Criminal Fraud and Professional Discipline and in the Legal 500 he is recommended in Crime and Fraud.

Recent comments include:

Crime:   

"superbly intelligent, hard working and a very focused advocate"

"a man who can turn his hand to anything with aplomb."

"A popular character in court and among his peers, he is noted for his "presence, mental agility and grasp of detail."

"Highly rated for his advocacy skills.' 

"A leading silk with "a thoughtful style and scrupulous integrity."

Criminal Fraud:

'"is praised as "a really class act"';

'is complimented for his "immensely thorough technical understanding of complex fraud cases." Apart from being a heavyweight prosecutor who is frequently instructed by the SFO and HMRC, he also defends.'

'boasts an impressive track record and a stellar reputation for prosecuting for HM Revenue & Customs and the SFO...is described as "a thinker and a fighter."'  

'A highly rated silk who recently acted for the former finance director of Independent Insurance, following that company's collapse. He both defends and prosecutes, and has acted for such bodies as the SFO and HMRC.'

 '...is considered a 'leading silk with an intelligent style  he's a pleasure to listen to."'  

 'brilliant and impressive.'

Professional Discipline:  

'"a redoubtable opponent whose judgement is always spot on.'"  

'moves up Chambers' table this year as a result of his "outstanding" reputation. Representing police officers in complex police disciplinary cases, "whatever he does, he does extremely well."'  

'has a niche police discipline practice which is mainly made up of behind-the-scenes advisory work. He is "incapable of doing a bad case" and is popular with all as he is "not a head-banging prosecutor who takes every point - he only takes the good points, and as a result judges and tribunals trust him."'

Practice Areas and Specialisations

Fraud, general crime including representing police officers and gang related violence, judicial review, inquests, disciplinary tribunals and VAT tribunals.

Since becoming Queen's Counsel Mukul has defended, inter alia: a police sergeant charged with the unlawful killing of Christopher Alder; (between April 2003 and March 2005) one of the principal defendants in the Jubilee Line extension fraud and corruption case; a brutal double murder at Exeter Crown Court (R v. Robert Firkins); in 2007 the Finance Director of Independent Insurance which collapsed in 2001; and defendants alleged to have murdered rival gang members at knifepoint.

Mukul has prosecuted: (for HM Customs and Excise) a case involving the unlawful export of components for the Pakistani Nuclear Weapons Programme and in MTIC and money laundering cases; (for the Serious Fraud Office) directors and managers of Free Dot Net plc and Discount Telecom plc charged with frauds on investors.

In 2009, he prosecuted (for the RCPO) three businessmen based in the United Kingdom who sent military aviation components to Iran both from the United Kingdom and from the United States of America via third countries in breach of international embargoes (R v. Nik and others).

Mukul defended the owner of a fireworks company based in Sussex prosecuted for the manslaughter of two members of the East Sussex Fire Service (R v. Winter).

Most recently he defended a solicitor charged by the FSA with insider dealing (R v McFall and others). This was the first criminal prosecution for insider dealing in which the defendants were acquitted.

Mukul is currently advising individuals being investigated by the Serious Fraud Office, the Financial Services Authority and HM Revenue & Customs and is retained in appeals to be heard by the VAT Tribunal. He is currently instructed by the Serious Fraud Office in relation to an international corruption investigation and by the Revenue and Customs Department of the Crown Prosecution Service in relation to VAT evasion and strategic export cases.

As a junior, he prosecuted extensively for HM Customs and Excise, representing police officers in inquests, in cases of manslaughter, corruption, perverting the course of public justice (including the "Guildford Four" and "Birmingham Six"). He also acted for a former senior police officer in the Stephen Lawrence Enquiry and for a significant witness in the "Bloody Sunday" Enquiry.

He defended in numerous fraud cases.