A Houston Court has reinstated fraud, negligent misrepresentation, and breach of contract claims against Beaumont businessman Mohammed Tahir Javed, paving the way for local businessman Tanweer Ahmed to move forward with claims that Javed defrauded him in a series of business dealings. Schmidt Law Firm, PLLC, and Pete Patterson of Patterson, PC, have been engaged to represent Ahmed in this litigation.

While Javed has publicly claimed “victory” following the Court’s dismissal of defamation-based claims, the Court’s Orders make clear the dismissal had nothing to do with the truth of Javed’s statements. Instead, the Court made the decision to dismiss based solely on a procedural statute—the Texas Citizens Participation Act (“TCPA”)—which allows defendants to avoid liability when the alleged defamation arises from their supposed exercise of free speech regarding “public figures.”

In plain terms, the Court found that the TCPA allowed Javed to escape trial on the defamation claims not because the Court found his statements true or justified, but because Javed convinced the Court that Tanweer Ahmed is such an important “public figure” that Javed could defame him with impunity, cloaking his conduct under the banner of “free speech.”

The Court, however, reinstated Ahmed’s claims for fraud, negligent misrepresentation, and breach of contract. Ahmed will now proceed to prosecute those claims and expose Javed’s conduct in open court.

“This ruling clears the way for us to hold Mr. Javed accountable for his misconduct,” said Tom Schmidt, lead counsel for Ahmed in the case. “He’s been hiding behind the rhetoric of free speech, but now the focus shifts to what matters—the deceitful conduct alleged in the lawsuit.”

The fraud and misrepresentation claims stem from a broader conflict between the two men, both active figures in the U.S.-Pakistani business and political communities. Mr. Javed was actively involved in campaigning for his son, Abrahim Javed, who lost in the Democratic primary for election to the Fort Bend County Commissioners Court to represent Precinct 3 in Texas in 2024. The case will now return to the trial docket for discovery and a jury determination on Javed’s alleged fraudulent conduct.

See the lawsuit: https://schmidtfirm.com/cases/ahmed-v-mohammed-tahir-javed/

Case Information:

Tanweer Ahmed v. Muhammad Tahir Javed, Kamran Jilani, and Jago Times,

Cause No. 2025-35033,

11th Judicial District Court, Harris County, Texas.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251209049174/en/

“This ruling clears the way for us to hold Mr. Javed accountable for his business misconduct,” said Tom Schmidt, lead counsel for Mr. Ahmed in the case.