UK NRI
IT manager sue his former employer for £50,000 after his
colleague created fake photos of him sitting with Osama bin Laden
London, Nov.08, 2008
Ravi Singh
NRI Vinod Rajdev, IT manager, 58, is suing his former
employer- Civica for £50,000, after his face was superimposed
on a picture of an al-Qaida deputy. He said his work colleagues
routinely taunted him and joked that he was an Al-Quaeda terrorist
'mastermind. Rajdev had worked as a computer programmer since
1998.
In November 2005, Mark Davis was ringleader and
Vinod Rajdev, a senior programmer and team leader in Civica's
Luton office, when it happened:
- Rajdev found framed mock-up photographs on his desk that he
was sitting next to Bin Laden along with AK47 rifle. The entire
staff broke into laughter when he came into work and found the
photos.
- He was also called 'Paki' by colleagues
bin Laden with
al-Qaida chief's deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri
Work associates manipulated a photograph of
bin Laden, putting his face over
that of al-Qaida chief's deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri
Vinod Rajdev is claiming constructive unfair dismissal, religious
and race discrimination against Civica. He claims that his bosses
ignored his complaints and talked him out of resigning several
times. In Nov. 2007, he quit his £42,000/- per year job.
Mr Radjev's lawyer Joe Sykes said: 'We say that
this was humiliation of an Asian worker which was crude and brutal
discrimination and that the company should have held the culprits
to account.
'Instead of backing the team leader, they gave his projects to
junior team members and allowed the situation to escalate.'
Civica supplies software to 90 per cent of Britain's
local authorities and denies Radjev's claims. Civica submitted
legal papers that says:
- Two years ago, Mr Rajdev used 'gallows humour' when discussing
the issue of terrorism with colleagues.
- 'Mr Rajdev had stated that if he were Osama bin Laden he would
bomb the London Underground.
'Coincidentally, this then happened in July 2005.
- Mr Rajdev had been a party to this banter, even jokingly threatening
Mr Davis to be careful when he visited London in case he had
planted a bomb.'
- Mr Davis was given a final written warning for creating the
photo of Mr Rajdev and bin Laden.
- From that point onward, Mr Rajdev and Mr Davis had joked that
Mr Rajdev was the mastermind behind al Qaeda.
- Mr Davis was given a final written warning for creating the
photograph of Mr Rajdev and bin Laden.
- Civica is aware of the court case involving the former employee,
which is being resolutely defended. We are hoping for a swift
resolution on the matter.
- Since there are ongoing legal proceedings, we cannot comment
until everything is resolved. We are looking forward to a swift
resolution of this matter
This case is due to be heard in 2009
