By IANS,
London : One of Britain’s most senior police officers has sued the London Metropolitan Police on grounds he has allegedly been “harassed, degraded and humiliated” because he is Asian and a Muslim.
Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur officially lodged the discrimination claim against his own force and Commissioner Sir Ian Blair. It is the first time an officer of such seniority has sued the Met, which now has 28 days to formally respond.
The Met is already awaiting the result of a tribunal claim by another Asian officer, Commander Shabhir Hussain, who alleges that he was passed over for promotion in favour of members of the Commissioner’s alleged “golden circle of white officers”.
It is understood there are three main issues which have prompted Ghaffur to take action, The Telegraph reported.
They include allegedly being sidelined over key decisions relating to the 2012 Olympic Games in London, for which Ghaffur is head of security.
He alleges that civil servants at the Home Office conspired with Sir Ian and his deputy Paul Stephenson to strip him of his responsibilities.
The documents also claim that London’s bid to host the Olympics contained promises that its security would be headed by a black or Asian officer and that officials had reneged on this pledge.
Ghaffur is also said to be upset by a failure to renew his contract beyond March 2009, which he claims is discriminating against his age, because he is over 50 years old.
The final allegation is that his £180,000-a-year role as head of Central Operations at Scotland Yard has been compromised and that he was silenced over 42-day detention debate.