Another Brit Asian police commander in Met probe

London, Sept.13 : Close on the heels of two Brit Muslim police officers filing racial abuse complaints against Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir Ian Blair, yet another case of an Asian officer being investigated for favouritism has surfaced.

The latest case involves Commander Ali Dizaei, the President of the National Black Police Association, and one of Britain's senior most police officers, who has had to deny reports that he used his position to advise a defence team on how to undermine a criminal case brought by his employer - the Met.

Ali is being investigated for alleged misconduct amid allegations that he acted as a consultant to point out weaknesses in a case brought by the Met police against a woman accused of leaving the scene of a fatal hit-and-run.

According to The Times and The Telegraph, Dizaei has completely denied the accusations.

He told The Times that he will be looking "at all his legal options" once the investigation is over.

The investigation started after a complaint was made directly to Sir Ian Blair, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, more than a month ago.

Blair has referred the matter to the Directorate of Professional Standards, the Met's internal investigations team, and they in turn referred it to the Metropolitan Police Authority, which appointed Deputy Chief Constable Phil Gormley, from the West Midlands police force, to head the investigation.

Gormley worked with Dizaei at Thames Valley Police. The matter has also been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPPC) because it is a potential conduct matter, which decided that the Metropolitan Police Authority would investigate the issue. The Times understands that Dizaei has asked the police authority for a personal assurance that the decision to record "this malicious complaint" and refer it to the IPPC is unrelated to his role as the President of the Black Police Association and as the person representing Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur, who is alleging race discrimination against Sir Ian Blair and other key members of the Met.

In a letter sent last month the police authority assured Dizaei that the decision had "absolutely no connection" with his role at the Black Police Association or his involvement with Ghaffur.

The investigation is expected to add to the problems of the upper tiers of the Metropolitan Police.

The investigation is the latest twist in an increasingly acrimonious race discrimination dispute between Sir Ian Blair, the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, and his most senior ethnic minority officers.

They claim the investigation is an attempt to "smear" the reputation of the officer involved.

The Daily Telegraph has seen letters that disclose that Lord McKenzie, a former police officer who now chairs a private security company, has made complaints against Commander Ali Dizaei.

He alleges that Dizaei had an improper relationship with a firm of prominent London solicitors. Lord McKenzie's firm is currently involved in a legal dispute with the solicitors over alleged unpaid fees.

Dizaei has termed complaint as "malicious".

ANI