'Met was biased against Sikh'

Claims that Scotland Yard blamed a Sikh officer for a hate mail campaign because of his race have been upheld by the Metropolitan Police Authority.

An inquiry by the authority, which runs the Met, has concluded that Sgt Gurpal Virdi was unfairly made the prime suspect following the circulation of racist hate mail to staff at Acton and Ealing police stations in 1997 and 1998.

The Evening Standard has learned that the MPA's interim report supports the view of an employment tribunal that the Met concentrated on Sgt Virdi to the virtual exclusion of other white suspects.

The finding may affect compensation for Sgt Virdi and there could also be repercussions for officers involved in the Met's original investigation.

Sgt Virdi was sacked after a disciplinary hearing in March 2000. But an employment tribunal concluded he did not send the racist messages and that he was discriminated against. In the furore which followed, Deputy Commissioner Ian Blair said the MPA inquiry, chaired by senior member R. David Muir, would judge whether the Met or the tribunal was right.

The result appears to vindicate the employment tribunal and Sgt Virdi, who was reinstated in November 2000.

However, the MPA report also commends the Met for more recent efforts in improving the way it deals with minorities. The Racial and Violent Crimes Task Force is praised as is the work of the Diversity Unit. Advances in Family Liaison have also been improved.

A source said: "The criticisms are serious but many of the issues are already being addressed."