London: Three policewomen, including one with Indian roots, are suing Scotland Yard over racism and sexism claims.
Police constable Usha Evans and others allege they had faced discrimination from white male officers, The Sunday Times reported on March 12.
The allegations included white colleagues being allowed to work on more complex investigations, while the women were held back. The allegations date between 2013 and 2014.
The other two women are Nighat Hubbard, the Metropolitan Police’s first Muslim policewoman who was honored by the Queen, and her colleague Catherine Bell
A judge ruled early March that it would be “just and equitable” for Hubbard to bring the legal claim after the Met Police tried to block her from making the employment tribunal claim.
Hubbard also alleged that male officers had made discriminatory comments on her and other women in the forc, PTI reported.
An internal inquiry by Scotland Yard found the men had “no case to answer,” but Hubbard described it as a “whitewash.”
One senior officer she accused of discrimination, former detective inspector Mick Standing, was “protected” by the Met and, after her complaint about him, was allowed to retire and join the Independent Police Complaints Commission, according to Hubbard’s claim.
Standing, who left the organization earlier in March, denies the claims and said he had been “completely exonerated” by a Met investigation.
According to Hubbard’s witness statement, Bell reported that Standing had told another female Asian officer, “You need to grow a beard, shout more and be more masculine.”
Hubbard’s claim makes allegations about another white, male officer who she claims mocked Evans’ religion.