Ballot Burglar! Labour Councillor Charged Over Postal Vote Fraud

Asaf Afzal is one of four people charged by police for perverting the course of justice in regard to an investigation into the tampering of postal votes.

The ex-Labour Councillor and Chairman of the Pakistan Community Centre in Derby, stood for re-election in the May 2019 City Council elections, ultimately losing his seat to the Lib Dems.

In a statement, Derbyshire Police said "Four people have been charged with perverting the course of justice following enquiries into an alleged incident of election fraud relating to the Derby City Council elections in May 2019."

The four, three men and one woman, are due to appear before Southern Derbyshire Magistrates Court on March 22 charged with:

• Mohan Singh, 77 – two counts of perverting the course of justice
• Baljit Rehalu, 41 – two counts of perverting the course of justice
• Mohinder Rehala, 53, – one count of perverting the course of justice
• Asaf Afzal, 53, of Colwyn Avenue, Derby – one count of perverting the course of justice.

While serving on the council Afzal was cabinet member for Neighbourhoods and Public Protection.

The former Labour Councillor – one of a string from the Labour Party arrested in recent times for either vote fraud, corruption, or other forms of criminality – refused to provide a full statement, saying only that "I received some papers last week and the matters are in the hands of my solicitors."