Gulam Ahmed

Profile

Gulam is a very experienced leading junior who regularly appears in high-profile cases. His hard work, dedication and natural ability makes him a favourite amongst professional and lay clients.

He is frequently instructed as leading junior and has appeared in a number of high-profile cases.  Gulam initially trained in commercial law, he has a thorough and forensic approach to his preparation and is counsel of choice in cases of terrorism, homicide, fraud and money laundering.

Gulam has defended in a string of notable reported cases including, terrorism, murder, multimillion pound frauds, money laundering allegations, and public office breaches.

Gulam is public access accredited, he can accept instructions directly or via solicitors. He has a particular interest in allegations of financial misconduct and is frequently instructed during the early stages of an investigation.

Gulam is increasingly undertaking regulatory work and has successfully defended landlords charged under the Housing Act and has appeared before the GMC, Coroners Court and Tax Tribunal.

Gulam is fluent in Bengali, Hindi and Urdu

Expertise

Criminal Defence

DRUGS

  • MRK (2017) – Client had been charged with a large-scale drugs and firearms supply.
  • AZK (2017) – client was charged with importing over £20m worth of heroine to the UK. The case had an international dimension and complicated disclosure issues.
  • Operation Debelattio (2015) – This case involved the large-scale importation of class A drugs in lorry wheels. Gulam defended one of the organisers who had been instrumental in the running of the company set up to facilitate the importations.
  • R v A (2014) – This was a large scale Class A drug importation case. The scale of the operation was described as having flooded the streets of Tyneside. Gulam’s client was acquitted of all the charges. https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/drugs-gang-jailed-part-flooding-8176001
  • R v ML (2011) – Gulam’s client had been charged with a number of drugs conspiracies where over £113m worth drugs was imported into the UK. Gulam’s client was acquitted of all charges.
  • R v MI (2009) – Led junior in a multi handed drugs case where the drugs where imported into the UK through various food items from South Asia.  The charges spanned several years and followed many years of investigation by the SOCA.
  • R v AS (2009) – Represented one of 9 defendants charged in one of the largest conspiracy to import and distribute heroin cases in the Northwest of England. https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bradford/8150854.stm

 

BORDER / SECURITY OFFENCES

  • NH (2018) defended in a multi handed people smuggling case. The case revolved around people being smuggled from Iraq to Europe and then to the UK.
  • R v A-G M – 2014 – This case involved a large sham marriage scandal within the Asian Community in Leicester. Gulam’s client was alleged to have been one of the organisers. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-30476615
  • Operation Opal (2014) – Gulam’s client was one of 12 people charged with conspiracy to escape. The conspiracy revolved around the ‘break out’ of someone from a prison van of a man who was on trial for murder. Gulam’s client was acquitted of the conspiracy to escape. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-24991139
  • R v AM (2012) – Gulam’s client was the first ever person to be extradited from Afghanistan. AM was an ex paramilitary officer extradited to face criminal charges. The case involved complex and lengthy legal arguments on the extradition from Afghanistan. www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2111508/Ex-Para-extradited-Afghanistan-tortured-business-rivals-row-1-9million-property-deal.html
  • R v NA (2010) – Represented one of many people who had been charged with violent disorder culminating from the demonstrations outside the Israeli Embassy at the end of 2008.  NA was acquitted after trial.
  • MY (2021) client charged with dissemination under the Terrorism Act 2006. The case revolved around the use of social media and sharing of videos.
  • MC (2020) client had been charged under s5 of the Terrorism Act 2006. Case involved the acquittal in 2018 and the deployment of undercover operatives in a plan to disrupt an attack in London.
  • MC (2018) defended in a terrorism case where the defendant attended Buckingham palace to attack a soldier (two trials). Client was acquitted.  https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/buckingham-palace-sword-attack-london-police-trial-court-case-mohiussunnath-choudhury-a8690931.html
  • The Rahman case (2010) – Gulam represented Mr. Rahman who brought a claim against the UK Government for its role in the torture of a UK Citizen by the Bangladeshi Security Services.
  • The Raja Case (2007) – Advised the family of Mohammed Raja, who were the principal witnesses against their son in a multi-handed terrorism case.
  • RT (2021) – honeytrap murder case. Client was alleged to be the honeytrap in a murder.
  • WB (2021) – Client charged with murder following a night out. The issues of joint enterprise, acts by another in isolation and supervening act had to be considered.
  • Operation Voyage (2021) Operation voyage concerned the double killing by use of a cross-bow. I represented the lead defendant in what was called a ‘double cross-bow’ killing.
  • RW (2020) client charged with joint enterprise murder. This was following a group attack. Client was acquitted of murder.
  • PK (2017)  -defended in a terrorism case where the client was charged with trying to leave UK to join ISIS
  • LB (2016) – client charged with ‘one punch’ murder allegation. The client was acquitted of murder.
  • Operation Fry (2016) – client was charged with conspiracy to murder. This concerned gang related shooting where two opposing gangs were engaged in a turf war. Client was acquitted of conspiracy to murder.
  • ES (2016) – client was charged with murder along with others following a fight. The client was acquitted of murder.
  • Operation Vintner (2015) – Defence of a client charged with murder. The prosecution was based on the principles of assessorial liability, transferred malice and liability of secondary parties. The client had been charged with the murder of his friend by encouraging him to participate in a knife fight on a busy High Street.
  • Operation Farmbrook (2014) – Gulam acted as leading junior counsel defending a client who had been charged in relation to a manslaughter where the victim had drowned at Lime House Basin. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2765299/Brothers-attacked-Strictly-star-s-cousin-left-drown-reservoir-guilty-manslaughter.html
  • R v BS (2013) – Gulam was instructed to represent the lead defendant charged over the attempted assassination of General Kuldip Singh Brar whom had been architect of the famous Operation Blue Star at the Golden Temple in Amritsar in 1984. The case attracted international media attention and a demonstration by the members of Sikh community outside court. www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-25316370
  • The Rachel Manning murder case (2013) – Rachel Manning was killed in 2000. Her then boyfriend was convicted of her murder. That conviction was quashed by the Court of Appeal in 2007 and at a subsequent re-trial the boyfriend was acquitted. Gulam’s client was charged following a review of the scientific evidence. The case involved the examination, analysis and interpretation of very low-level partial profile DNA and mitochondrial DNA. After a six-week trial the jury were unable to reach a verdict. The defendant was convicted after a retrial. www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-21473582
  • R v DM (2012) – Gulam represented DM who was acquitted of involvement in the murder of Sumon Miah in 2006. Sumon Miah was 18 at the time of his death and had been lured to his death by the mother of a young girl he was seeing at the time. www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-18152002
  • R v VS (2010) – Led junior in a murder case where the defendant stalked the victim whom he met through her work as an escort.  Issues of provocation, diminished responsibility and insanity featured during the trial.
  • R v AV (2009) – Led junior in a murder case where the victim was the defendant’s best friend. The defendant was found guilty of manslaughter on the basis of diminished responsibility. www.hillingdontimes.co.uk/news/2041681.print/
  • R v IH (2008) – Led in a multi-handed case where the defendants were charged with murder and conspiracy to rob.
  • R v AK (2015) – AK was one of four boys charged with multiple rapes of a young girl of similar age. This case featured extensive phone evidence.
  • R v AI (2014) – AI had been charged with over 20 counts of rape dating back 20 years on three complainants. AI was acquitted of all charges after trial a lengthy trial.
  • R v SM (2010) – Represented one of four defendants charged with raping two generations of their family during the 1960 to 1980’s. Gulam’s client was acquitted all charges of rape.
  • GH (2019) leading junior counsel in an international duty fraud case. The allegation arouse out the import and export of alcohol. The issue of criminal property was successfully challenged. The client was acquitted of all charges.
  • RK (2018) defended in multi-handed immigration fraud case. The allegation was that multiple identities had been used to make applications to immigration and abuse of the student visa scheme. Client was acquitted of all charges.
  • SK (2018) defended in one of the longest immigration and HMRC fraud case trial. The trial lasted over 8 months. Client was acquitted of all charges.
  • Operation Fustuscaro (2015) – Gulam’s client was accused along with multiple co-defendants of being involved in a large-scale conspiracy to defraud insurance companies using a method known as ‘cash-for-crash’. It was alleged that the client and others were involved in defrauding various insurance companies by staging or inducing road traffic accidents from which fraudulent medical claims for personal injury were subsequently made. After a lengthy trial, Gulam’s client was acquitted.
  • R v MC (2015) – MC had been charged with 10 others with what was called an ‘Apple Fraud’. This is where unsuspecting victims are called and told the caller is calling from the Apple store where their bankcard is being used. They are then told to hang up and call the bank. Unbeknown to the victim the caller stays on line and they hand over their bank details. MC acquitted of all charges.
  • Operation Janitor 3 (2015) – Gulam’s client had been charged along with 30 others with conspiracy to cheat the HMRC of millions in VAT reclaims. The fraud involved nearly 20 companies and abuse of the zero-rated vat reclaims system for new build properties. The value of the fraud was put at over £2.6m.
  • Operation Janitor 2 (2015) – Operation Janitor was a large-scale VAT fraud investigated and prosecuted by the SOCA (Serious and Organised Crime Agency).  The fraud involved nearly 20 companies and the abuse of the zero-rated vat reclaims system for new build properties. The companies were based in a number of cities from Birmingham to Manchester. Nearly 30 people were prosecuted in 4 trials for Conspiracy to Cheat the HMRC. The value of the fraud was put at over £2.6m. After a lengthy trial, Gulam’s client was acquitted of conspiracy to cheat.
  • Operation Harvest (2014) – Gulam defended one of four men charged with a conspiracy to defraud in what’s known as ‘boiler room’ fraud. Over £10m worth of shares were sold by two fraudulent companies.
  • R v IC (2013) – This was one the largest prosecutions of its kind brought by Cumbria County Council in relation to a recycling fraud. The prosecution case was vast and stretched to 250,000 pages of evidence. The case against Gulam’s client was stayed as an abuse of process after a 5 week legal argument. https://www.mrw.co.uk/news/waste-fraud-case-dropped/8647957.article
  • R v DT (2013) – Leading junior counsel defending DT who had been charged along with 5 others with conspiracy to defraud. The prosecution alleged DT was involved in a boiler-room fraud where shares in fraudulent ventures were sold. After an 8 week trial, Gulam’s client was acquitted of all charges.
  • R v SR (2012) – Gulam represented one of many defendants who had been arrested and charged with large-scale conspiracy to steal Railway cable. www.telegraph.co.uk/news/…and…/Romanian-metal-theft-gang-jailed.html
  • Operation Smarten (2012) – This case involved over 18 defendants who were charged with conspiracy to launder over £130m. The conspirators set up MSBs across the UK to disguise the laundering of money from drug dealing. Gulam’s client had been the owner of the main MSB in Birmingham.
  • R v CK (2011) – A multi-handed advance fee fraud. CK was the only one acquitted of conspiracy to defraud after a lengthy trial. www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/extra/news-item.cfm/newsid/796
  • R v VI (2011) – Gulam represented one of the main organisers of a multi-handed conspiracy involving fictitious accidents and personal injury claims.
  • R v JK (2010) – Appeared in one of the first-ever prosecutions for illegal clamping.  Gulam’s client was acquitted of all charges after trial.
  • R v MS (2009) – Led junior in a 9 handed money laundering case where a family were charged with laundering the proceeds of their sons’ drug dealing.
  • R v AG (2009) – Appeared in a multi-handed immigration fraud case, one of the largest of its kind prosecuted in the UK at the time. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1190567/The-Indian-illegal-immigrant-wives-Britains-biggest-visa-scam.html
  • R v AA (2008) – Appeared as lead counsel in a 10 handed fraud involving the arrangement of finance for expensive vehicles. Gulam’s client was acquitted of all charges.

Recommendations

"Gulam is an excellent barrister at all levels."—Chambers and Partners, 2025
"He is a great tactician and an effective barrister."—Chambers and Partners, 2025
"A great majority of my clients are charged with serious gang related offences including Murder and conspiracy to Murder. Gulam is an indispensable asset. He is always on hand and makes himself available at short notice to provide valuable strategic input at the early stages of a case. He has secured amazing acquittals in cases where at first sight the evidence appeared compelling. Through unrelenting hard work, tenacity and effort, Gulam has achieved great success. He has an easy manner and a team approach. "—Mohammed Naser, M&N Solicitors
"I instructed Gulam in a multi-handed prison escape case. I found Gulam hard working, easy to work with and tactically brilliant. The prosecution case was based on phone and cell site evidence which Gulam eloquently destroyed!

"—Simon Kups, Cartwright King
"Gulam represented a co-defendant who was running a cut-throat defence against my client in a £160m money laundering case. I was so impressed with the way Gulam represented his client that I have since instructed Gulam in a number of serious cases."—Arshad Ali, Ashmans Solicitors
"Dedicated and hardworking; always gets the best results for my clients."—Shofna Begum, Stewart Begum Solicitors

Appointments/Memberships

  • LL.B (Hons) LL.M (Commercial Law) (Bham)
  • Gulam is a member of the Criminal Bar Association

Accreditations

Chambers & Partners 2025 - Ranked in UK BarLegal 500 2025 - leading Junior
Instruct GulamTo instruct Gulam please contact our clerks by phone on +44 (0) 20 7036 0200 or email us at clerks@libertaschambers.com