Sir Ian Blair's Revenge: Race-Claim Assistant Commissioner "Relieved of his Job"

by Christina 123 | September 9, 2008 at 03:49 pm

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A senior Asian Officer, Tarique Ghaffur, has taken the Metropolitan Police to Industrial Tribunal in a claim that Sir Ian Blair, Chief Police Officer victimised him because of his race. Sir Ian has today retaliated by putting his Assistant Commissioner on garden leave.

Mr. Ghaffur claims that Sir Ian has a golden circle of friends which did not include him and which is why he failed to win promotion.

The world awaits with baited breath for the next round in the contretemps.

The UK's most senior Asian police officer has been "temporarily relieved of his responsibilities", Commissioner Sir Ian Blair has said.
The decision came after Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur lodged a £1.2m racial discrimination claim against the Metropolitan Police (Met).
Sir Ian said he took the action because of the way Mr Ghaffur had "chosen to conduct himself" in the media.
Mr Ghaffur accused the Met of carrying out "wilful acts of victimisation".
Following the decision Mr Ghaffur said: "It is obvious to me the actions that have been taken, today and yesterday, have all the hallmarks of wilful acts of victimisation against me for explaining why I had made my complaint.

My decision results from the way in which he has chosen to conduct himself
Sir Ian Blair

Mr Ghaffur lodged the claim against the Met with an employment tribunal on 22 August.
He claims he was discriminated against on grounds of race, religion and age.
He added: "To permit victimisation for commencing discrimination litigation to go unchallenged would send entirely the wrong message about race relations and equal opportunities - that the risks involved in complaining of discrimination are too great."
Mr Ghaffur added he would consult his lawyers about future proceedings "on the basis of unlawful victimisation".
Earlier Sir Ian said he made the decision to put Mr Ghaffur on "authorised leave of absence" following his recent press conference on his race claim case against the Met.