Walsall fast food boss banned for failing to maintain books

The boss of a Walsall fast food takeaway has been disqualified by the courts for seven years after he failed to preserve and maintain company accounting records.

Zabargan Ahmad of Walsall, West Midlands, was the sole director of K2 Grill and Pizza Limited, which traded as K2 Steak & Shake, a fast food takeaway based located at 39 & 40 Caldmore Green, Walsall.

K2 Grill and Pizza was incorporated in April 2015 but right up to the point the company entered into liquidation in April 2017, Zabargan Ahmad failed to maintain and preserve adequate accounting records.

Further investigations by the Insolvency Service found that the tax authorities had previously engaged with Zabargan Ahmad to submit company accounts to determine what tax the takeaway owed. The tax authorities also issued K2 Grill and Pizza with a fine of just under £69,000 for failing to notify them of its tax liabilities.

Zabargan Ahmad’s failure to submit adequate accounting records to the tax authorities, the liquidator and the Insolvency Service has meant it has not been possible to confirm the company’s assets and liabilities, nor the director’s salary.

On 16 December 2019 a disqualification order against Mr Ahmad was handed down by Deputy District Judge Walsh in the County Court of Walsall. Zabargan Ahmad is disqualified from acting as a director for seven years and in that period he cannot be involved, directly or indirectly, with the formation, promotion or management of a company without prior permission of the court.

Dave Elliott, chief investigator for the Insolvency Service, said: “Zabargan Ahmad’s duty as a company director was to maintain and preserve his company’s financial records. If he had done this he would have been able to provide information to the tax authorities and also the liquidator attempting to wind-up the company’s affairs. This should serve as a reminder to all directors to comply with their statutory duties.”