THE man behind the now famous Birmingham Balti is to stand trial over an alleged multi-million pound mortgage fraud.
Mohammed Ajaib, is the former owner of Al Faisals in the Sparkbrook area of the city, which many curry fans will know as the Balti Triangle.
The 67- year old claimed to have served the first of the special curries over 33-years ago in an attempt to get an edge over his rivals.
But last month the curry king appeared at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court charged with three counts of conspiracy to defraud and two other counts of fraud.
His sons Omar, 30, and Alfaisal, who worked at the restaurant as managers were also in court and were charged with two counts of acquiring, using or possessing criminal property.
The case has been investigated by the West Midlands Police Economic Crime Team. It is alleged there was an attempt to defraud three banks, Lloyds TSB, Alliance and Leicester and the Yorkshire Bank, of a total of £2.9 million between January 2007 and February 2008.
The charges relate to six properties in the Birmingham and Stoke area. Mortgage fraud generally involves applying for loans against the value of properties which may have been given inflated prices.
When contacted by the Sunday Mercury Mr Ajaib, who was given bail at the hearing, said that he had done nothing to warrant court proceedings. “I do not feel I have done anything wrong,” he said.
“I do not feel I am guilty and I feel confident that I have done nothing.
“If the banks have made mistakes then that is their fault, and I should not be in court.”
If found guilty, the restaurant owner could face up to 10 years in prison. The case was passed from Birmingham Magistrates’ Court to the city’s Crown Court due to the seriousness of the charges and will be heard on March 16. Lloyds TSB said it did not wish to comment until after the trial. Mr Ajaib Senior is credited with inventing the balti in Birmingham in the 1970s when he moved from making meals for family and friends in the immigrant community to opening a restaurant for the public in Sparkhill.
He wanted a meal which would stand out over his rivals in the Asian food market, so began using the flat wok-style dish to both cook and serve the food.
Due to the number of eateries around his former restaurant, the area – comprising Sparkbrook, Moseley and Balsall Heath – gained the name ‘Balti triangle’ and is featured in the ‘Top 20 things to do in the UK’ in traveller’s handbook, the Rough Guide.
This year Birmingham City Council launched a bid to trademark ‘Balti’, giving it the same status as Melton Mowbray pork pies.
Under the plan only restaurants in a designated area would be allowed to use the name.