Senior Asian officer cleared of all charges
A senior Asian police officer has been cleared and claims he was the victim of a ‘witch hunt’ by the Metropolitan Police.
Superintendent Ali Dizaei, one of Britain’s most senior minority ethnic police officers, was cleared of dishonesty at the Old Bailey today.
The two-year investigation and failed legal action is estimated to have cost £3 million and is the most expensive probe into a single officer. However, the National Black Police Association believes that the cost has been dramatically underestimated, placing it somewhere in the region of £7 million.
A jury also cleared Supt Dizaei, 41, in April, of perverting the course of justice and misconduct concerning a report of vandalism to his car.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has now decided not to proceed with a second trial against the Iranian born police officer alleging that he made false expenses claims for mileage.
The Met had also reportedly embarked on an undercover operation looking into claims that Supt Dizaei was corrupt, a possible Iranian spy and a drug user.
Officers from his own force in Kensington, west London, were involved in tracking him and bugging his phones.
His counsel, Michael Mansfield QC, told the hearing Supt Dizaei had been “hounded” and subjected to a “witch hunt” after arousing resentment for outspoken comments on racism within the police.
During the trial it emerged that the charges relating to vandalism and false expenses claims were brought after anti-corruption officers failed to find evidence for more serious offences.
Supt Dizaei was believed to have been unpopular with a number of officers for his outspoken views and for flouting uniform rules by wearing designer belts and sunglasses.
