Fake Pir Mehboob Akhtar commonly know as Pir Pandariman hailing form Islamgarh Town of Mirpur fooled British-Pakistanis and made millions of pounds from them.
Mehboob Akhtar, of Stoke-on-Trent, was sentenced for multimillion-pound property fraud and tax-evasion scam in 2016. In 2017 his sentenced was reduced from 14 to 11 years.
Mehboob Akhtar looted people for being spiritual teacher and on name of Islam.
£100 was charged for one meeting with Mehboob Akhtar and £150 in Emergency Meeting. He also established an institute in Stoke-on-Trent.
His supporters believed that Pir Pandariman has control over a Unseen powers “Jin”. But truth behind was a “Walkie Talkie Set”.
He used a Walkie Talkie Set to make his followers fool and strengthen their faith in him.
Whenever his “mureeds” came to see “Pir” after appointment, they would wait in a waiting room on ground floor.
Disciples of Pir would asked the visitor (mureed) about purpose of visit and his problem and then send him on Upper Floor in room of Pir Pandariman.
While on upper floor Pir would listen to conversation of visitors and his disciple on Ground
When visitor on his turn would go upstairs to Pir Pandariman before he explains his problem, Pir would talk about his problem which actually he heard on Walkie Talkie.
So this way he won the trust of followers and followers gains more faith in spiritual and hidden powers of Pir. (Pir Saab Baray Poonchay Hoay Ney) a common phrase used for top ranking Pirs in Pakistan especially in Mirpur and Kotli Areas.
Pir who made millions of pounds was convicted of 11 charges including five of conspiracy to commit fraud and cheating Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) out of £271,000.
Supportersof Pir Pandariman said that he was a great spiritual man who had helped raise several million pounds in donations to help poor people. They said that he had not committed any tax evasion and it was shown to the court that he had been given gifts — a legal practise — by his followers. They said that it’s a routine for spiritual leaders to get money from followers in the forms of cash and this can be explained only in cultural context of Asian and Muslim cultural practices.