Asian police officer's racial bias case dismissed

London: A British employment tribunal has dismissed allegation of racial discrimination against the Metropolitan Police levelled by senior Asian officer Shabir Husain.

He is one of the two officers - Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur being the other - to have levelled race charges against police chief Sir Ian Blair. Ghaffur's case will come up for hearing shortly.

Commander Shabir Hussain, 45, who is one of the highest-ranked ethnic minority officers in the country, contended he had been repeatedly overlooked for promotion by Sir Blair, the Met's commissioner, because "my face did not fit and did not fit because I am not white".

But Sir Blair refuted the charges. "I have said there is no favourite few. I absolutely refute the suggestion that any racial motivation, any bias, conscious or unconscious, could possibly influence me in decisions I have taken and the discussions around senior posts I have had."

Former police chief Lord Stevens came out in support of Husain, but that did not affect the tribunal's decision to dismiss the case.

A spokesman for Scotland Yard said: "The tribunal has clearly recognised that our treatment of Commander Hussain has been fair, appropriate and transparent."

Husain said: "I'm disappointed but the hearing did expose the shortcomings of the promotion process. I aim to carry on with my career as normal."

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