IT boss seeks £50,000 after 'Bin Laden photo taunts'

AN Asian IT manager is seeking £50,000 compensation after a former colleague faked photos of him sitting in a cave with Osama bin Laden and displayed them in the office.

Vinod Rajdev, 58, of Kingsbury, claimed workmates at software provider Civica taunted him that he was an al Qaeda terrorist "mastermind".

Mr Rajdev complained that his face was superimposed on that of Bin Laden's right-hand-man Ayman al Zawahiri in a notorious photo of the two terror chiefs.

The married father-of-three said he arrived at his desk to find two mock-up photos showing him alongside Bin Laden with an AK47 rifle by his side.

In papers submitted to Bedford Employment Tribunal, Mr Rajdev also alleged he was called a "Paki" and "corner shop" by colleagues.

Mr Rajdev, who is of Indian origin, is claiming constructive unfair dismissal, and religious and race discrimination. Civica denied the claims, saying the photo was part of office "banter" and that Mr Rajdev had joined in jokes that he was a terrorist leader.

Mr Rajdev claimed the abuse began in November 2005 at Civica's Luton office, where he was a team leader. He quit in November last year, claiming bosses ignored his complaints.

The case will be heard next year.