Dr Shantanu Panigrahi lodges an official complaint in United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) for Discrimination
This morning (22 August 2013), I lodged an official internal complaint to the UKIP Party leadership for discrimination in the consideration of my application to be selected to stand for Member of Parliament at the next general election in 2015, as follows:
Thu, 22 Aug 2013 at 10:08 Message starred: Official Complaint against Ms Lisa Duffy, UKIP Party Director FROM Shan Panigrahi TO 6 recipients Hide Details From • Shan Panigrahi • To • sjcrowther@btinternet.com CC • mail@ukip.org • nigel.farage@europarl.europa.eu • raymondtfinch@gmail.com • duffy.lisa6@gmail.com • k.farage@yahoo.co.uk
To Mr Stephen Crowther UKIP Party Chairman UK Independence Party PO Box 408, Newton Abbot TQ12 9BG Tel 01626 831290
22 August 2013
Subject: Official Complaint of Discrimination against Dr Shantanu Panigrahi’s Candidacy for Member of Parliament
Dear Mr Crowther
I write to lodge an official complaint against UKIP’s Party Director Ms Lisa Duffy for her management of my candidacy to stand as a UKIP Member of Parliament at the next general election in 2015.
Ms Duffy’s responses to my application shows a apparent level of negligence and incompetence that is can only be caused by her determination to discriminate against me for the above position.
I would like this matter to be investigated immediately.
Yours sincerely
Dr Shantanu Panigrahi 3 Hoath Lane Wigmore Gillingham Kent ME8 0SL Membership No. 329716
23 August Updates: In response I received the following emails first from Mr Crowther and then from Mr Jonathon Arnott the General Secretary:
From: Jonathan Arnott To: Steve Crowther Cc: Shan Panigrahi ; “duffy.lisa6@gmail.com” ; Ray Finch Sent: Friday, 23 August 2013, 10:46 Subject: Re: Official Complaint against Ms Lisa Duffy, UKIP Party Director
Dear Dr. Panigrahi,
Please find the disciplinary complaint form attached.
Yours sincerely,
Jonathan Arnott (UKIP General Secretary)
On 22 August 2013 17:27, Steve Crowther wrote:
Dear Dr Panigrahi
If you would like to lodge an official complaint it needs to be submitted on forms available from the General Secretary, to whom I am copying this reply. You will need to produce evidence to support your complaint, particularly as it alleges behaviour which is unlawful.
Regards, Steve
—
Stephen Crowther, Chairman, UK Independence Party
Eastacombe House, Heanton, Barnstaple, N. Devon EX31 4DG
I replied to these emails with the following email:
Fri, 23 Aug 2013 at 17:13 Fw: Official Complaint against Ms Lisa Duffy, UKIP Party Director From: Shan Panigrahi • sjcrowther@btinternet.com • duffy.lisa6@gmail.com
To Mr Stephen Crowther and Ms Lisa Duffy.
Please note.
Yours sincerely
Dr Shantanu Panigrahi
—– Forwarded Message —– From: Shan Panigrahi To: Jonathan Arnott Sent: Friday, 23 August 2013, 17:02 Subject: Re: Official Complaint against Ms Lisa Duffy, UKIP Party Director
Dear Mr Arnott
Before I fill in the Application (meaning the Complaint) Form, I need to ascertain the day-by-day disposal of the Forms that I submitted because it is not at all clear to me what Miss Duffy has been saying to me in the following email exchanges (presumably Mr Crowther would have ensured that Ms Duffy did receive the original Forms, and knows where they are now so that I do not need to resubmit them):
Yours sincerely
Dr Shantanu Panigrahi ________________________________________________________________________ Thu, 22 Aug 2013 at 11:14 Re: Official Complaint against Ms Lisa Duffy, UKIP Party Director From: Lisa Duffy To: Shan Panigrahi CC: sjcrowther@btinternet.com • mail@ukip.org • nigel.farage@europarl.europa.eu • raymondtfinch@gmail.com • k.farage@yahoo.co.uk Dear Dr Panigrahi, … Unfortunately I have not received your application form, they are sent to me regularly from Head Office and I have opened all my mail this morning and your application is not there. …
Regards Lisa Duffy Party Director – UKIP
Sun, 18 Aug 2013 at 19:55 Re: Assessment FROM Shan Panigrahi To: Lisa Dear Ms Duffy, Once you have checked that the contents of my forms make me suitable for the role of a UKIP Member of Parliament (when taken with the additional information that I provided in my email of 26 July 2013 concerning my blurb and any new clarification of points that you might like to seek from me) please let me know. I will then make the necessary preparation for one of the assessment sessions that you will arrange. Yours sincerely Dr Shantanu Panigrahi ________________________________________________________________________ From: Lisa To: Shan Panigrahi Cc: “sjcrowther@btinternet.com” Sent: Sunday, 18 August 2013, 17:05 Subject: Re: Assessment I haven’t said I haven’t got them, I have said I am working away and will check on my return which will be Tuesday. Regards Lisa Duffy Sent from my iPhone
On 17 Aug 2013, at 14:20, Shan Panigrahi wrote:
Re: Assessment From: Shan Panigrahi To: Lisa Duffy CC: sjcrowther@btinternet.com To Ms Lisa Duffy My question to you is why have you still not received the forms when my covering letter of 25 July 2013 was clearly marked. ‘For the attention of Lisa Duffy’? Yours sincerely Dr Shantanu Panigrahi
From: Lisa Duffy To: Shan Panigrahi Cc: Stephen Crowther Sent: Friday, 16 August 2013, 22:37 Subject: Assessment Dear Mr Panigrahi, I have not received your forms but if you have sent them to head office they forward them onto me and once I am back from working in the Isle of Wight on Tueday I will check. … Regards Lisa Duffy Party Director- UKIP 07890 110225 _________________________________________________________________________ Thu, 15 Aug 2013 at 7:05 Fw: My Application for Selection as a UKIP Parliamentary Candidate at the next General Election From: Shan Panigrahi To: sjcrowther@btinternet.com • 1 Attachment • 1.7MB • Slideshow Dear Mr Crowther How long does it take for a Party Director to reply to some simple questions? What seems to be Ms Duffy’s problem with my application? Is she sick? Yours sincerely Dr Shantanu Panigrahi ________________________________________________________________________ From: Shan Panigrahi To: Lisa Duffy Sent: Friday, 26 July 2013, 11:55 Subject: My Application for Selection as a UKIP Parliamentary Candidate at the next General Election Dear Lisa 1. I sent you the completed forms yesterday by First Class Recorded Delivery. Did you receive it this morning? 2. I am not sure whether the attached photograph is good enough for your website publication? If not I will take some photographs in a jacket and tie attire and send it to you. Please let me know. For the blurb, how does this seem: ”Dr Shantanu Panigrahi is a freelance Environmental Scientist with a Post Graduate Diploma in Agricultural Development from London University (Distinction) focussing on the sustainability of human developmental ideas and projects. He has written 34 scientific papers published in international journals. He was born in India but has lived in the United Kingdom for 40 years since a teenager. He is a Democrat by conviction”. 3. Will the four sessions of the Assessment take place on the same day? Where will it be held? Is it time for me to start preparing the speeches for it? Yours sincerely Shan Panigrahi ________________________________________________________________________
Mr Crowther replied to this extensive email with the following emailed message:
Fri, 23 Aug 2013 at 17:56 Re: Official Complaint against Ms Lisa Duffy, UKIP Party Director FromSteve Crowther ToShan Panigrahi CCJonathan Arnott duffy.lisa6@gmail.com Rod Peers David Challice
Dear Dr Panigrahi
I am not in a position to ensure that your forms have reached Lisa Duffy, as I do not work at the Lexdrum House office address, which is where I am assuming they were sent. They would not, as far as I know, have been addressed to me.
I do not know where the forms are now, but both Ms Duffy and I will be visiting Lexdrum House on Tuesday so we will be able to ascertain whether they are there.
Neither Lisa Duffy nor I work at Lexdrum House. I work at the address below, while Ms Duffy works at her address in Cambridgeshire. Therefore, if your forms had been received at Lexdrum House, they would have had to be sent on to her. Recently she has been working away, in the Isle of Wight. I hope that is clear.
Steve Crowther — Stephen Crowther, Chairman, UK Independence Party Eastacombe House, Heanton, Barnstaple, N. Devon EX31 4DG
I replied to Mr Crowther’s message with the following email:
Fri, 23 Aug 2013 at 18:09 Re: Official Complaint against Ms Lisa Duffy, UKIP Party Director FROM Shan Panigrahi To Steve Crowther
Dear Mr Crowther
Why did Lisa Duffy not enquire from Lextrum House on 26 July 2013 when I sent her the email asking her if she had received my Recorded Delivery letter addressed to the Party Director on the envelope so that no one else but she or her Deputy should have opened the envelope?
Dr Shantanu Panigrahi
24 August 2013 Update: I have received the following email this morning from Mr Arnott:
Sat, 24 Aug 2013 at 1:13 Re: Official Complaint against Ms Lisa Duffy, UKIP Party Director From Jonathan Arnott To: Shan Panigrahi
Dear Dr. Panigrahi,
I acknowledge receipt of your email, and note that Steve Crowther will be looking into the matter when next at Head Office on Tuesday.
Yours,
Jonathan Arnott (UKIP General Secretary)
28 August 2013 Update: When no response came until late this morning, I sent the following email to Jonathon Arnott copied to Steve Crowther and Lisa Duffy:
Wed, 28 Aug 2013 at 11:24 Re: Official Complaint against Ms Lisa Duffy, UKIP Party Director From Shan Panigrahi To Jonathan Arnott CC sjcrowther@btinternet.com duffy.lisa6@gmail.com
Dear Mr Arnott
What has been decided on the Fate of my Forms following Steve Crowther’s visit to the Head Office yesterday?
Yours sincerely
Dr Shantanu Panigrahi
A reply came from Jonathon Arnott as follows:
Wed, 28 Aug 2013 at 12:20 Re: Official Complaint against Ms Lisa Duffy, UKIP Party Director From Jonathan Arnott To Shan Panigrahi CCsjcrowther@btinternet.com duffy.lisa6@gmail.com
I haven’t heard anything yet, will let you know when I do.
Jonathan Sent from my iPhone
When hours went by and no reply came from anyone, I sent the following email:
From: Shan Panigrahi Reply-To: Shan Panigrahi Date: Wed, 28 Aug 2013 16:24:21 +0100 (BST) To: Jonathan Arnott Cc: Stephen Crowther , “duffy.lisa6@gmail.com” Subject: Re: Official Complaint against Ms Lisa Duffy, UKIP Party Director
Dear Mr Arnott
Mr Crowther wrote to me as follows: ”I do not know where the forms are now, but both Ms Duffy and I will be visiting Lexdrum House on Tuesday so we will be able to ascertain whether they are there.” How long does it take for him or Ms Duffy to answer this simple question?
If you work in Lexdrum House or have visited it since Saturday why have you not been able to find out what has happened to my Forms.
I need clarification of what has happened to my Forms so that I may consider sending Ms Lisa Duffy my photocopies of those Forms in order that she can process them, in which case I need to know the address to send it to this time.
Your sincerely
Dr Shantanu Panigrahi
A reply came quickly from Mr Crowther as follows:
From: Steve Crowther To: Shan Panigrahi Cc: “duffy.lisa6@gmail.com” ; Jonathan Arnott Sent: Wednesday, 28 August 2013, 16:38 Subject: Re: Official Complaint against Ms Lisa Duffy, UKIP Party Director
Dear Dr Panigrahi
Our visit to Lexdrum House yesterday did not reveal the whereabouts of your forms. We are today in the London office, and I can find no trace of them here either. Could you please confirm the address to which you sent them, and the date? I am very concerned that they have not arrived.
Can you also confirm that you have sent in your completed Complaint Form and evidence regarding Ms Duffy, and to which address? I do not want this to go astray, as it has potentially serious implications.
Mr Arnott does not work at Lexdrum House, he is based in Sheffield.
Regards, Steve — Stephen Crowther, Chairman, UK Independence Party Eastacombe House, Heanton, Barnstaple, N. Devon EX31 4DG Phone 01271 813844 Mobile 07775 787579
I replied with the following email:
Wed, 28 Aug 2013 at 17:02 Re: Official Complaint against Ms Lisa Duffy, UKIP Party Director 1 From: Shan Panigrahi To: Steve Crowther • 1 Attachment • 35.2KB • doc RoyalMailConfirmationofSignatureforRecordedDeliveryItemsenttoPartyDirectorofUKIP.docx 35KB
Dear Mr Crowther
Please find attached the evidence from Royal Mail that my Recorded Delivery package was signed for by UKIP – delivered from the Newton Abbot Delivery Office.
I have not sent in my Complaint Form as yet.
Dr Shantanu Panigrahi
Suddenly this email came in from Ms Lisa Duffy:
Wed, 28 Aug 2013 at 18:08 Re: Official Complaint against Ms Lisa Duffy, UKIP Party Director From: Lisa To Steve Crowther CC Shan Panigrahi Jonathan Arnott
Dear Dr Panigrahi, Please send them to Ramsey Community Arcade,62, High Street, Ramsey, Cambridgeshire. PE26 1JY I can guarantee there will be someone to sign for it between 9-5pm. ( It is where i have an office) Alternatively please scan and send them via email where I can send you a received receipt. Regards Lisa Duffy
Sent from my iPhone
I quickly photocopied the original Forms and prepared the envelope to post it to this address by First Class Recorded Delivery tomorrow afternoon after I come home from work. I also sent the following email to Mr Jonathon Arnott:
Wed, 28 Aug 2013 at 18:19 Fw: Official Complaint against Ms Lisa Duffy, UKIP Party Director From Shan Panigrahi To vote.jonathan@googlemail.com CC sjcrowther@btinternet.com duffy.lisa6@gmail.com 1 Attachment: RoyalMailConfirmationofSignatureforRecordedDeliveryItemsenttoPartyDirectorofUKIP.docx To Jonathon Arnott UKIP General Secretary
Dear Mr Arnott
Have you now found out which UKIP member of staff signed for the attached Recorded Delivery letter and what he or she did with it afterwards?
Yours sincerely
Dr Shantanu Panigrahi
A reply came from Mr Arnott as follows:
From: Jonathan Arnott To: Shan Panigrahi Cc: “sjcrowther@btinternet.com” ; “duffy.lisa6@gmail.com” Sent: Wednesday, 28 August 2013, 20:22 Subject: Re: Fw: Official Complaint against Ms Lisa Duffy, UKIP Party Director
Dear Dr. Panigrahi,
Many thanks for your email. My involvement in this issue relates to the disciplinary process, as you indicated a desire to submit a disciplinary complaint against Lisa Duffy. Disciplinary action does not seem to be appropriate here; the worst that has happened is an administrative error.
It has been established that you sent the form, and that form has gone missing. When Head Office receives correspondence for senior Party officials who do not work at Head Office, the standard procedure is for them to forward the documentation by post. This happens a number of times each week, so it’s unlikely that any member of staff would specifically recall the disposition of a form dating back to July. Given that the form does not appear to currently be at Head Office, the most likely explanation would be that the forms were forwarded to Lisa Duffy but did not arrive with her. There is little to be gained by further internal investigation here.
My suggested disposition of this issue is as follows:
1. I apologise on behalf of the Party for the inconvenience caused by the loss of your application form.
2. Could you please re-send the form, ideally a scanned-in copy by email, to Lisa Duffy – who will then confirm receipt to you directly and arrange for an assessment in the usual manner?
Yours sincerely,
Jonathan Arnott (UKIP General Secretary)
I replied with the following email:
Wed, 28 Aug 2013 at 21:03 Re: Fw: Official Complaint against Ms Lisa Duffy, UKIP Party Director From: Shan Panigrahi To: Jonathan Arnott CC sjcrowther@btinternet.com duffy.lisa6@gmail.com
To Mr Jonathan Arnott
If you now accept the evidence from Royal Mail that one of UKIP’s designated members (of staff) at Newton Abott accepted the envelope from the postman and signed for it at 10.51.00 GMT on 26 July 2013 you need to tell me which one of your staff opened the envelope at Head Office or whether it was forwarded to Ms Lisa Duffy unopened. For this you need to question the person whose signature matches the one in the Royal Mail document that I sent you with those of all your staff at Newton Abbot.
If it turns out that Forms were never posted to Ms Lisa Duffy from Newton Abbot the person(s) whose responsibility it was to do so must be disciplined.
In the meantime I will post a copy of the Forms to Ms Duffy tomorrow afternoon by First Class Recorded Delivery addressed to ‘Ms Lisa Duffy, Ramsey Community Arcade, 62 High Street, Ramsey, Cambridgeshire, PE26 1JY in order to monitor her further conduct in the processing of my Application.
Please let me know if this is acceptable to you.
Yours sincerely
Dr Shantanu Panigrahi
A reply came from Mr Arnott as follows:
Wed, 28 Aug 2013 at 21:11 Re: Fw: Official Complaint against Ms Lisa Duffy, UKIP Party Director From: Jonathan Arnott To Shan Panigrahi CC sjcrowther@btinternet.com duffy.lisa6@gmail.com
Dear Dr. Panigrahi,
Many thanks for your email. Sending the forms to Lisa Duffy by recorded delivery is of course acceptable, though for the reasons which I have already stated I see no reason for further investigation.
Yours,
Jonathan Arnott (UKIP General Secretary)
2 September 2013 Update: I have just received an email from Ms Lisa Duffy that she has received my resubmitted Application Forms:
Mon, 2 Sep 2013 at 8:20 Receipt of papers From: Lisa Duffy To: Shan Panigrahi CC Steve Crowther Jonathan Arnott
Dear Dr Panigrahi
Just a short email to acknowledge receipt of your application form for Westminster.
I will be in touch with the assessment dates as soon as they are arranged, this will be after 22nd September due to the National conference taking place.
I have copied in both Steve Crowther & Jonathan Arnott to inform them of receipt.
Regards Lisa Duffy Party Director
Sent from my iPhone
19 October 2013 Update: On Wednesday, 9 October 2013, 13:03, Lisa Duffy wrote:
Dear Mr Panigrahi,
We have received your Parliamentary candidate form. Sorry for the delay since the party conference there has been a backlog. We would like to invite to an assessment centre. I have included information about the assessment to help you prepare.
The available assessment centres are in Chessington on the 13th October at 11-1pm and 5-7pm. In Gloucester on the 22nd October at 11-1pm, 2-4pm and 5-7pm. In Barnstaple on the 24th October at 11-1pm and 2-4pm. In Ramsey on the 27th October 11-1pm, 1-3pm and 5-7pm. We also have assessments in London from 5-7pm on the 18th, 25th October and the 4th of November. Please reply with which centre you can attend.
The assessment is in four sessions, each lasting 30 minutes, please note the pre-preparation required for the public session.
1.Policy-You will be asked ten UKIP policy questions taken from the 2010 manifesto unless updated by the NEC.
2.Politics-You will have an interview and be asked some politics related questions.
3. Media-You will have a newspaper, radio and television interview. Please note that journalists are never off the record.
4.Public speaking-Please pre-prepare two speeches (1) a two minute speech for the closing of a Westminster hustings, why should they vote for you? (2) a two-minute speech of the subject of your choice. There is a third speech you will be asked to prepare at the assessment.
Good luck with the assessment and Kind Regards Chris Bicknell
The Office of Lisa Duffy Party Director- UKIP 07890 110225
I replied:
On Wed, Oct 9, 2013 at 3:13 PM, Shan Panigrahi wrote:
Dear Ms Duffy,
I would have thought after all that has transpired you would know that I am a ‘Dr’ (a PhD holder) and not just a ‘Mr’. At the very least this should have been clear to you from my Parliamentary Candidates Form. When will you stop insulting my intelligence?
Ms Duffy wrote back on 9 October 2013, 15:18, Lisa Duffy wrote:
Dear DR Panigrahi, The email was sent by my PA who apologies for overlooking your title. Please could you respond as places are filling fast for the assessments . Regards Lisa Duffy
On Saturday, 19 October 2013, 11:19, I wrote:
Dear Ms Duffy
I think the reason you (wrote) ‘DR’ in full capitals instead of ‘Dr’ is that you wished to taunt me for insisting that I am addressed with properly. Notwithstanding, if you have space available for the London venue on 4th of November (as late as possible) I am available to attend it. Please note however that I hold the view that the United Kingdom now needs a written Constitution for the reasons that I have explained my blog: https://shantanup.wordpress.com/
Please let me know the views of the Party on whether my candidacy should proceed in light of what I have written in my Blog and Twitter Account @ShanPanigrahi concerning the political developments that I wish to see implemented by UKIP.
If you agree in light of this submission that I should be allowed to attend the London assessment, kindly let me know the full postal address and postcode of the place that it will be held in.
Yours sincerely Dr Shantanu Panigrahi
I then forwarded this correspondence to Steve Crowther and Jonathon Arnott as follows:
To sjcrowther@btinternet.com; vote.jonathan@googlemail.com 19 October at 11:52 AM
Steve Crowther (UKIP Chairman) and Jonathon Arnott (General Secretary)
I am copying this correspondence to both of you so that you can monitor progress in light of my earlier complaint.
19 February 2014 Update
After several exchanges of email with Rod Peer of UKIP I have still not received my Assessment Date with regard to my application to stand as a UKIP Member of Parliament: Today I have had to tweet Patrick O’Flynn (Director of Communications), Nigel Farage (Leader) and UKIP as follows:
Shantanu Panigrahi @ShanPanigrahi @Nigel_Farage @oflynndirector Dear Party, please note this (: http://bit.ly/1bLpMBh ) with regard to my application to become a @UKIP MP.
18 April 2014 Update: I showed the conditional membership resignation letter that I had sent to UKIP to a British person (originally from India) by the name of Mr Gurpal Singh Tiwana whom I have known for about two and half years having worked together in the same petrol station and living in the same neighbourhood. I asked him to see whether he could find out anything about this matter for me given that UKIP did not reply to me directly about my concerns.
Mr Tiwana later informed me that he had sent UKIP the following letter by email:
8:02 am 11 April 2014 Message starred the matter of mr shantanu panigrahis’ application for standing as a candidate
FROM G TIWANA TO 1 recipient
From G TIWANA To sjcrowther@btinternet.com • Hell my name is Gurpal Tiwana Iam a friend and ex collegue of Mr, Panigrahi(membership number329716) he has asked me to get in touch with you as his friend to ask why his application has not been looked at for his request to stand as a candidate to stand for election at the 2015 election. he is quite upset about your lack of interest at his request. could you investigate at my request and please get back to me ASAP thanks for your help.
All the Best Mr. Gurpal Singh Tiwana
Mr Tiwana further texted me the same day and said that the reply he got from Mr Steve Crowther was a dismissive and abrupt ‘I understand Mr Panigrahi had resigned from the Party’. Mr Tiwana has since refused to probe any further on my behalf in the way I wanted him to saying that he had other more pressing priorities in his life.
When I queried this exchange of information to Mr Crowther on 16 April 2014 he again did not reply. However, the same afternoon I received what seemed like a general notice sent to all the candidates in the MP selection process:
Westminster Hustings Dear Candidate, We would like to advise that with campaigns well under way for European and local elections next month and the resulting focus on other areas, there will be no Assessment Centres held during May. The Assessment process will resume in June. If you urgently require to be assessed or reassessed in order to stand in hustings in the meantime, there are still available slots remaining at several locations before the end of April. Please access the MyUKIP domain and allocate yourself a convenient slot if you wish to be assessed before June.
Kind regards, Rod Peers UKIP PPC Admin Team 01626 830 630
I asked Mr Rod Peers whether this notice had been sent to me in response to my email to Mr Crowther that morning. No reply was received from Mr Rod Peers either so I do not know, as things stand now, if I am still a member of the Party; and indeed whether my candidature for the MP selection process was in the process of being considered, and if so, up to what point in time.
8 May 2014 Update: Kent Police has sent me the following email to my query: ‘Has there been any development in Incident Reference 26-1096, for example arrests or the questioning of individuals with regard to my allegation of the perpetration of a Hate Crime against me?’
From: CSC Kent (csc@kent.pnn.police.uk) To: Shan Panigrahi 8 May 2014 at 1.29 pm Good Afternoon, As per previous advice from the officer, this is not being recorded as a hate crime and there will be no further action taken.
I have referred the matter to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) for examination of Kent Police’s conduct of the proceedings and its unjustified final decision, especially in light of the fact that UKIP has continued to harass me with unsolicited emails of its notices.
21 May 2014 Update: Some relevant exchange that I had with Mr Gurpal Singh Tiwana concerning his two letters to UKIP and the lodging of my Report to Kent Police and subsequently, the complaint to the IPCC can be found in the Comments Section to the ‘About Me’ page of this website: https://shantanup.wordpress.com/about/
29 May 2014 Update: David English, Contact Advisor at the IPCC sent me the following email on Tuesday, 27 May 2014, 18.04 pm
From !enquiries@ipcc.gsi.gov.uk Subject: RE: IPCC ref. 2014/027096 Dear Mr Panigrahi I acknowledge receipt of your email dated 23 May 2014. Please refer to my previous email and those of my colleagues – we cannot intervene in or comment on your complaint at this stage. Your sincerely David English Customer Contact Advisor Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) North Region – Sale Phone: 0300 020 0096 Email: enquiries@ipcc.gsi.gov.ukhttp://www.ipcc.gov.uk
The email implied that Professional Standards Department (PSD) of Kent Police was apparently still in the process of considering my complaint, so on 28 May 2014 at 7.47 am I forwarded this email to PSD Kent Police with a covering note: have you completed your deliberations on my complaint (your reference CO/486/14) and reached a final decision on the resolution that I have sought?. PSD Kent Police replied that an investigation officer, Acting Police Sergeant Fisher had been assigned for a response to me.
On Wednesday, 28 May 2014, 12:48, Glenn Fisher PC 46012548 wrote:
Dr Panigrahi, I am Sergeant Glenn FISHER from Medway Neighbourhood department and I have been assigned to investigate your complaint. I tried contacting you today on your mobile phone to discuss the above complaint but was unable to reach you. Do you have a preferred time of contact or land line, I am working 0700-1500 Thursday and Friday this week. Many thanks
Glenn FISHER Medway Neighbourhood Sergeant Team 4
I replied to this email as follows:
Complaint reference: CO/486/14 (2) Me To Glenn Fisher PC 46012548 (glenn.fisher@kent.pnn.police.uk) 28 May 2014 at 2:53 PM To Sergeant Fisher Medway Neighbourhood Seargent Team 4.
Dear Sergeant Fisher
1. I am sorry that you were unable to contact me on my mobile phone earlier today to begin the investigation of my complaint. It is therefore best if I now summarise my complaint here so that you can provide me with a satisfactory resolution of the matter through email correspondence.
2. When PC Patterson of Kent Police telephoned me at 12.35 pm on 1 May 2014 and we discussed the crime perpetrated by the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) on me that I reported by email to nhp.medway@kent.pnn.police.uk on 20 April 2014 at 3.43 pm with a confirmation email on 25 April 2014 at 5.45 pm, he explicitly told me that he would have to go and seek some further advice before being able to decide on whether to pursue the defendants because he said that this might be a civil matter of racial discrimination rather than being a Hate Crime. PC Patterson never returned to convey to me his final decision, nor did he explain why there should have been that distinction created in his mind when racial discrimination itself is clearly a criminal matter so that the Police are obliged to investigate it according to the Race Relations Act (1976): please correct me on this if I am wrong.
3. Yet when, I sent an email on 8 May 2014 at 12.57 pm to general@fcr.pnn.police.uk and CSC Kent asking, ‘has there been any development in Incident Reference No 26-1096, for example arrests or the questioning of individuals with regard to my allegation of the perpetration of a Hate Crime against me, CSC Kent replied, ‘As per previous advice from the officer, this is not being recorded as a hate-crime and there will be no further action taken’. This was erroneous as PC Patterson did not give me that advice as stated above, and further, there was no mention by Kent Police about whether the specific racial discrimination was a criminal matter. UKIP’s denial to me of the London Assessment Venue to judge my candidature for Member of Parliament was motivated by its hatred of me for a combination of my colour and religion. Being a Sikh person, Mr Tiwana who was reported by me as being complicit in the perpetration of that act by not representing my situation clearly and forcefully to UKIP was also motivated, I believe, by a hatred of my Hindutva-based truth dealings, as has been borne out since.
4. Accordingly, I am now suggesting that Kent Police has failed to take the necessary steps to resolving my report of a Hate Crime by not pronouncing explicitly what the law dictates in this specific case in terms of the police action that is obligatory.
Yours sincerely
Dr Shantanu Panigrahi
On 29 May 2014 at 7.32 am I received an email reply from Sergeant Glenn Fisher as follows:
Complaint reference: CO/486/14 Glenn Fisher PC 46012548
Dear Dr Panigraphi, Thank you for your reply. I will speak with PC PATTERSON today and be in contact shortly. Many thanks Glenn Fisher
At 1.01 pm Sergeant Fisher left an voicemail message on my mobile phone that he wished to discuss the matter on the telephone, so I telephoned him back and a 10-12 minute discussion of the issues took place. Sergeant Fisher indicated that he will send me an email with a final view.
30 May 2014 Update: A voice mail message was left on my mobile phone at 12.08 pm today by Sergeant Fisher roughly as follows:
Hello, Dr Panigrahi, this is Sergent Fisher of Kent Police. Just to confirm our conversation yesterday, I apologise for the email not being answered in time. It is something we are looking at in that respect. I hope you are happy with that. Other than that, although the Hate Crime legislation and policy is on the website, it is up to personal interpretation and there is no crime attached to this. UKIP has obviously decided not to reply to you. That is a matter for them. I suggest you take it up with their complaints process. It does not fall under a Hate Crime per se. I will close the complaint for you but obviously there will be a log made. I won’t send you a letter as we have discussed it.
I sent an email to IPCC in response to this message:
IPCC ref. 2014/027096 (3) Me To !enquiries 30 May 2014 at 12:52 PM Dear Mr English
Have the proceedings on this complaint now reached a stage where IPCC considers it appropriate to intervene or comment on how Professional Standards Department of Kent Police conducted and concluded its response to my concerns?
Yours sincerely
Dr Shantanu Panigrahi
When no reply came, I replied by email to Sergeant Fisher as follows:
From: Shan Panigrahi [mailto:shanpanigrahi@yahoo.co.uk] Sent: 30 May 2014 14:56 To: Glenn Fisher PC 46012548 Subject: Re: Complaint reference: CO/486/14
To Sergeant Fisher 1. Thank you for the message that you left on the voicemail of my mobile phone at 12.08 pm today. I wished Kent Police to agree with me, based on the evidence that I provided, that UKIP was guilty of a Hate Crime or Incident according to the following definition given in your website: http://www.kent.police.uk/contact_us/hate_crime/hate.html
Hate crime or incident – definition Hate incident – the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) defines a hate incident as: ‘any incident, which may or may not constitute a criminal offence, which is perceived by the victim or any other person, as being motivated by prejudice or hate.’
2. Why has Kent Police overruled my perception as the victim that this was not a Hate Crime or incident to be recorded as such in your log according to your own definition? Yours sincerely
Dr Shantanu Panigrahi
Sergeant Fisher replied quickly with the following email:
On Friday, 30 May 2014, 15:08, Glenn Fisher PC 46012548 wrote: Dr Panigrahi, Thank you for your e-mail. The hate crime policies and legislation are open to personal interpretation and indeed many incidents of all kind fall into this. On this occasion I do not feel the information provided to me indicates anything UKIP has done is ‘motivated by prejudice or hate’ as ACPO defines. UKIP are entitles to block applications and decide who is selected for candidacy and this is not something the police will be involved with, this is a matter for UKIP and their internal policies which you may have to explore. At this moment the incident will be recorded as a resolved complaint as we discussed yesterday and in my voicemail. I hope this provides some clarity and you are still in agreement of the resolution. Yours sincerely, Glenn Fisher
I replied to this with the following email:
Complaint reference: CO/486/14 (6) Me To Glenn Fisher PC 46012548 30 May 2014 at 4:03 PM Dear Sergeant Fisher 1. The law implicitly requires that provided a victim has made an allegation of hate crime or incident (as defined by ACPO), the Police are obliged to put his/her perception of the evidence and the evidence itself that he/she has submitted directly to the accused in order to obtain the response of the defendant before the Police is permitted to make its own decision on whether there has or has not been a hate crime or incident. 2. I have not seen any evidence thus far that Kent Police has followed this procedure. The matter has therefore not yet reached a satisfactory resolution. Yours sincerely Dr Shantanu Panigrahi
4 June 2014 Update: Yesterday evening, I received the following email from Sergeant Fisher:
On Tuesday, 3 June 2014, 17:05, Glenn Fisher PC 46012548 wrote: Dr Panigrahi, Thank you for your e-mail, I will speak with our professional standards department and seek further advice for you. regards, Glenn Fisher
I did not reply immediately thinking that I might get this advice this morning, but nothing arrived, so I sent the following email back to Sergeant Fisher:
Complaint reference: CO/486/14 Me To Glenn Fisher PC 46012548 4 June 2014 at 12:47 PM Dear Sergeant Fisher 1. Thank you for your email. 2. I would indeed be grateful if you could let me know today whether Kent Police still considers the racial discrimination perpetrated as a hate-based action of UKIP upon its members as an internal institutional matter for UKIP or whether such a conduct is illegal and a crime for regulation by society under the Race Relations Act (1976) (upon which ACPO’s Hate Crime seems to be predicated?), thus placing an immediate obligation upon the Police to investigate Mr Steve Crowther (as Chairman) and Mr Nigel Farage of UKIP (as Leader) who have refused to address my complaint. Yours sincerely Dr Shantanu Panigrahi
7 June 2014 Update: Following further telephone and email discussions, Sergeant Fisher sent me the following email.
On Thursday, 5 June 2014, 20:48, Glenn Fisher PC 46012548 wrote: Dr Panigrahi, I have recorded you incident as a hate secondary incident within Kent Police, reference number SI/XY/4960/14. As discussed in relation to the e-mail address not being answered I have brought this to the attention of the necessary supervisors and as you agree this has been resolved. In relation to the hate incident recorded by Kent Police this will be for information purposes only, and not investigated as a crime. You are able to take this number forward with you in any civil proceedings you feel appropriate or when you seek advice. I hope you are in agreement and consider the complaint resolved. If you would be kind enough to reply and let me know you are happy with this conclusion I would be most grateful. Many thanks Sgt Glenn Fisher
I replied with the following email:
From: Shan Panigrahi [mailto:shanpanigrahi@yahoo.co.uk] Sent: 05 June 2014 21:34 To: Glenn Fisher PC 46012548 Subject: Re: Complaint CO/486/14 Dear Sergeant Fisher I am disappointed by Kent Police’s decision that this hate incident will not be investigated as a hate crime in light of the following: The law on hate crime Section 146 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 came into effect in April 2005, empowering courts to impose tougher sentences for offences motivated or aggravated by the victim’s sexual orientation in England and Wales. However, in the eyes of the law different types of hate crime are viewed differently. For example, perpetrators of racially and religiously motivated hate crimes can be charged by the police with specific offences such as racially or religiously aggravated harassment or assault. http://www.stonewall.org.uk/at_home/hate_crime_domestic_violence_and_criminal_law/2638.asp Yours sincerely Dr Shantanu Panigrahi
Sergeant Fisher replied:
On Thursday, 5 June 2014, 22:03, Glenn Fisher PC 46012548 wrote: Complaint CO/486/14 Dr Panigrahi, Thank you I have noted your comments. I have resolved the complaint and filed all paperwork. Many thanks Glenn Fisher
The next morning I sent the following email to the IPCC.
IPCC Reference 2014/027096 Me To enquiries@ipcc.gsi.gov.uk 6 June 2014 at 7:33 AM To Independent Police Complaints Commission By email: enquiries@ipcc.gsi.gov.uk Dear Sir or Madam 1. I would be grateful if you would comment on whether Kent Police has followed the correct procedures of policing to determine whether the actions of UKIP on me that is now registered as a hate incident was or was not a case of racially or religiously aggravated harassment. 2. I thank you in advance for your kind and immediate attention. Yours sincerely Dr Shantanu Panigrahi
There was no acknowledgement, let alone a formal reply.
9 June 2014 Update: A reply came from the IPCC this afternoon as follows:
IPCC Reference 2014/027096 (2) !enquiries To Me 9 June 2014 at 3:25 PM Dear Dr Panigrahi Thank you for contacting the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC). I acknowledge receipt of your two emails received on 30 May 2014 and 06 June 2014. The IPCC is completely independent of the police service and is responsible for making sure that the police complaints system in England and Wales works effectively and fairly. The IPCC deals solely with complaints or allegations of misconduct against serving members of the police; the IPCC’s remit does not extend to matters of a criminal nature. The IPCC does not have any control over the police handling of a criminal matter; we cannot instruct the police to investigate a criminal allegation nor can we review the results of the same. The decision whether a reported crime warrants an investigation is an operational decision made in accordance with guidelines set by the Home Office. If you believe that a police force is failing to adhere to these guidelines, you should raise your concerns directly with the Chief Constable of the police force concerned or the local Police & Crime Commissioner. Consequently, unless you wish to make a complaint regarding the conduct of any serving member of the police force, I do not feel that the IPCC can assist you further in this matter. If you wish to find out further information regarding procedures in policing, you should contact Kent Police directly who would be able to provide you with advise on their policies and procedure. When your complaint investigation is finalised, then you will be offered an appeal right to the relevant appeal body. If this is the IPCC, then we can review the investigation which has taken place. If it is not the IPCC, we can take no role in your complaint. Kind Regards Leanne Crowley Customer Contact Advisor Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) PO Box 473 Sale M33 0BW Tel: 0300 020 0096 Email: enquiries@ipcc.gsi.gov.uk http://www.ipcc.gov.uk IPCC Statutory Guidance on the handling of police complaints
12 June 2014 Update: This morning I sent the following email to Professional Standards Department of Kent Police:
On Thursday, 12 June 2014, 10:59, Shan Panigrahi wrote: To Professional Standard Department Kent Police CO/486/14 1. Please note the comments of the IPCC to my question posed to it as follows: I would be grateful if you would comment on whether Kent Police has followed the correct procedures of policing to determine whether the actions of UKIP on me that is now registered as a hate incident was or was not a case of racially or religiously aggravated harassment. 2. Since I have not received your answer to this question please let me know if my complaint investigation has been finalised and the appeals procedure that is applicable, if it is not the IPCC. Yours sincerely Dr Shantanu Panigrahi
which I followed with the following email:
IPCC Reference 2014/027096 (4) Me To professional.standards@kent.pnn.police.uk 12 June 2014 at 11:35 AM Dear Sir/Madam By when can I receive a reply to this email? Dr Shantanu Panigrahi
19 June 2014 Update: A reply was received from Professional Standards Department of Kent Police and almost simultaneously Sergeant Fisher sent me an email:
On Wednesday, 18 June 2014, 12:59, PSD General Enquiries Kent wrote: Dear Dr Panigrahi We acknowledge receipt of your e-mail dated the 12th June 2014. This has been forwarded to the Investigating Officer, Acting Police Sergeant Fisher for his attention and response. Yours sincerely PSD Admin
CO/486/14 From: Glenn Fisher PC 46012548 To Me; PSD General Enquiries Kent 18 June 2014 at 1:13 PM Dear Dr Panigrahi, This has been recorded as a hate incident in line with Kent Police crime recording guidelines, under the reference number I provided to you a week or so back. It has been assessed and there are no lines of enquiry to progress and this is a matter for you to take up with your MP or legal rep in relation to UKIP and their decision not to contact you. As agreed the complaint has been finalised and you will receive a letter in the next 7-10 days confirming its conclusion. I am still on leave at the moment and will be back in the office at 17:00 on Friday 20th June. Kind regards, Glenn Fisher
I queried this response with an email on 18 June 2014 at 2:06 PM to the Professional Standards Department of Kent Police, copied to the IPCC and Sergeant Fisher as being an unsatisfactory response because Sergeant Fisher had failed to inform me ”of the correct internal and external appeals procedure applicable to my complaint that the Police has not shown me any evidence that it has followed the guidelines set by the Home Office in the investigation of this criminal allegation”.
1 July 2014 Update: Dissatisfied with the developments, I have sent the following email late this morning to Professional Standards Department of Kent Police:
CO/00486/14 Me To professional.standards@kent.pnn.police.uk 1 July 2014 at 11:41 AM To Professional Standards Department Kent Police Dear Sir/Madam Has my complaint against Kent Police recorded under CO/486/14 now been finalised? – if not what is the target date for the resolution of my complaint? Yours sincerely Dr Shantanu Panigrahi
When I did not receive an immediate acknowledgement even of this email, I sent the following email to the IPCC:
IPCC Reference 2014/027096 Me To enquiries@ipcc.gsi.gov.uk 1 July 2014 at 1:29 PM To Independent Police Complaints Commission Dear Sir/Madam Are there any proceedings on-going or pending at the Independent Police Complaints Commission under Case No 2014/027096? Yours sincerely Dr Shantanu Panigrahi
29 July 2014 Update: After membership of UKIP for a year and a half I find UKIP a detestable Party. On the other hand Ed Miliband (leader of the Labour Party) is honest and hopefully will tackle my concerns for a moral immigration policy as expressed here: https://shantanup.wordpress.com/2014/07/20/membership-of-the-european-union-compels-the-united-kingdom-into-an-immoral-immigration-policy/.
5 August 2014 Update: I replied to an email received last Saturday (2 August 2014) from TInspector David Venus-Coppard of Kent Police as follows:
Complaint CO/745/14 Me To David Venus-Coppard T/INSP 46008834 4 August 2014 at 5:33 PM Dear T/Insp Venus-Coppard Please continue with the investigation as recorded in your email. To recap, I need to know what the Home Office guidelines state on the method of policing (procedures, eg contacting the accused/defendant for a reply) that must be adopted by all Police Officers in investigating the hate crime that I reported to the Police in my original email of 20 April 2014, 3.43 pm that was confirmed in my email to nhp.medway@kent.pnn.police.uk on 25 April 2014 at 5.45 pm. Thank you Yours sincerely Dr Shantanu Panigrahi
24 October 2014 Update:
On Thursday, 9 October 2014, 9:13, David Venus-Coppard T/INSP 46008834 wrote:
CO/745/14 Sir I have finished my investigation with regards to your complaint and will be writing a final investigating officer’s report. This will then be reviewed by my Superintendent who will have the final decision Once the decision is made you will be sent a copy of the report David Venus-Coppard T/Insp 8834 Venus-Coppard Community Policing Team and LDPT Team 4 Medway Police Station North Division Tel: 04-2465 07870 252 756
I replied as follows:
To David Venus-Coppard T/INSP 46008834 civil.claims@kent.pnn.police.uk 9 Oct To T/Insp 8834 Venus-Coppard 1. Thank you for your email. 2. Can you confirm immediately that Kent Police has still not written to Mr Gurpal Singh Tiwana and the United Kingdom Independence Party to obtain their version of events and their defence on the propriety and justification for their actions with regard to my allegation of Hate Crime against me? 3. Please note that your reply to this question will determine the level of compensation that I am seeking from Kent Police for its prevarications on my submitted need to have the alleged culprits brought to justice in regard to Civil Claims Reference CI/72/14 of Legal Services Department, Kent Police. The email is therefore copied to Legal Services Department, Kent Police who have until 10 November 2014 to provide its response. Yours sincerely Dr Shantanu Panigrahi
There was no reply and I did not receive David Venus Coppard’s report. I made enquiries with a firm of solicitors on whether Kent Police can be sued for compensation for poor services: https://shantanup.wordpress.com/2014/08/15/enquiry-made-to-stephens-and-son-solicitors-kent-on-whether-kent-police-can-be-sued-for-compensation-for-poor-services/
30 October 2014 Update: The IPCC is now ignoring my emails to provide me with an update on my complaint.
August 22, 2013 - Posted by shantanup | Uncategorized
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