An Indian‑origin couple was sentenced in the United Kingdom after they continued to run companies for more than five years despite being legally barred from doing so. 71‑year‑old Bharat Jogia, from the West Midlands region of England, was disqualified as a company director for 13 years in 2014. He accepted a disqualification undertaking after admitting that he caused Jogia Jewellers (UK) Limited to wrongfully claim more than 2 million pounds from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) as part of a tax fraud scheme.Despite the ban, Jogia continued to control two pharmaceutical firms, Diamond Pharma Limited and BHJ Consulting Ltd. His actions were discovered when both companies later fell into financial difficulty.Jogia’s wife, 57‑year‑old Louise Jogia, was convicted of aiding her husband. She was listed as the official director of BHJ Consulting, but it was her husband who actually ran the business.“Bharat Jogia showed complete contempt for the law by breaching his director disqualification ban for more than five years,” said Mark Stephens, chief investigator at the Insolvency Service. He added: “Louise Jogia acted as a front to shield her husband, providing signed documentation and support where needed.” Stephens added that ignoring a disqualification is a serious offence and harms confidence in UK business.Jogia’s original disqualification was supposed to prevent him from running, managing or promoting any UK‑registered company until 2027. He was given a nine‑month prison sentence and was suspended for 18 months. Jogia must also complete 100 hours of unpaid community work and is banned from being a company director for a further 10 years.His wife was sentenced to seven months in prison, also suspended for 18 months, and received a 10‑year director ban.The couple avoid jail time only if they commit no further offences and comply with the court orders.Records show Jogia signed the disqualification undertaking in June 2014, admitting his role in the fraudulent claims by Jogia Jewellers (UK) Limited. The agreement barred him from involvement in any company formation, marketing or management.Investigators found that from the start of his disqualification until mid‑2019, Jogia continued to operate Diamond Pharma and BHJ Consulting in all but name. He instructed lawyers, approved accounts, authorised agreements and managed staff at Diamond Pharma, receiving over 80,000 pounds in consultancy fees.“Under Jogia’s management, Diamond Pharma Limited also racked up more than 445,000 pounds in tax debts,” the Insolvency Service said. HMRC moved to have the company wound up as a result.For BHJ Consulting, Louise Jogia provided the company’s trading history to liquidators. Although she was listed as director, tasks such as conveyancing instructions, decisions on IT and supplier payments were carried out by her husband. Bank records also showed the company’s account was used to pay the couple’s personal bills.
