Britain’s most senior Asian police officer Tarique Ghaffur has withdrawn his claims that former Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Ian Blair was racist towards him, it has emerged.
The Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) has confirmed the alleged racism case has been settled out of court, and that it has paid an undisclosed sum of money to Ghaffur. It has also paid contractual obligations and a contribution to his legal costs.
In August 2008, Ghaffur, launched legal proceedings against the Met for race discrimination. He was suspended from his duties in September, after which he claimed he was being victimised because of the legal case. The Met said he had been suspended because of his conduct, not because of the case.
The Daily Mail reported earlier this month that Ghaffur had accepted a £300,000 out-of-court settlement, but that was swiftly denied by the Met Police.
Now, a joint statement by Ghaffur, the Met Police and others involved said: “The MPA has paid a sum of money in settlement of AC [assistant commissioner] Ghaffur’s claims, including contractual obligations, and a contribution to his legal costs.”
It added: “AC Ghaffur has withdrawn the proceedings and his claims that Sir Ian Blair and DAC [deputy assistant commissioner] Bryan acted in a racist or other discriminatory way towards him.”
Ghaffur will retire from his job as assistant commissioner at the Met Police on 27 November 2008.
