Behind the Blue Line: My Fight Against Racism and Discrimination in the Met

Detective Sergeant Gurpal Singh Virdi's exemplary career in the Metropolitan Police Service ended when he spoke out against racism. He was arrested, had his home searched, and was suspended on charges of sending racist hate mail. An employment tribunal found that he had been racially discriminated against and the Met was forced to give him an apology and compensation. However, he was arrested again and accused of sexually assaulting an underage prisoner nearly three decades before. The trial judge acquitted him of all charges, but the damage had been done. The Met had pursued a vendetta against Virdi for seventeen years, driving him and his family to the edge of the abyss.

\n Format: Hardback
\n Length: 368 pages
\n Publication date: 15 March 2018
\n Publisher: Biteback Publishing
\n

Detective Sergeant Gurpal Singh Virdi's exemplary career in the Metropolitan Police Service came to an abrupt end when he bravely spoke out against racism within the organization, an issue that the police force had long paid lip service to addressing. However, what followed was a series of events that shocked the nation. On Wednesday, April 15, 1998, Virdi was arrested, his home was searched, and he was suspended on charges of sending racist hate mail to himself and other ethnic minority colleagues. Despite being dismissed in disgrace, an employment tribunal later found that Virdi had been subjected to racial discrimination by the Met. The tribunal ordered the police force to apologize and compensate Virdi for the harm they had caused him.

Despite returning to service, Virdi soon discovered that his life was forever changed. He had been passed over for promotion, and when he challenged the organization, he became a marked man for life. Freshly retired and due to stand in local elections as a Labour councillor, Virdi was arrested again and accused of the most horrendous of crimes: sexually assaulting an underage prisoner nearly three decades before.

When the case went to court, it took just fifty minutes for the jury to acquit Virdi of all charges, with the trial judge noting the likelihood of a conspiracy behind the case. However, the damage had already been done. For seventeen years, the Met had relentlessly pursued a vendetta against one blameless individual who dared to speak out against injustices. The police force had dragged Virdi and his family to the edge of the abyss, causing immense pain and suffering.

This deeply shocking story highlights the lengths that one of the biggest institutions in the country would go to in order to destroy the life of one of its own officers. It raises important questions about the power of the state and the consequences of speaking out against injustice. The case of Detective Sergeant Gurpal Singh Virdi serves as a reminder that those who dare to challenge the status quo may face severe retaliation, and that the pursuit of revenge can have far-reaching consequences for both the accused and their families.

\n Weight: 570g\n
Dimension: 240 x 169 x 30 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9781785903212\n \n