Metropolitan police commander Ali Dizaei has launched a legal battle against the Daily Mail over claims he seriously breached police regulations.
A front page story published in September last year, headlined “Dizaei and the Crooked Lawyer” claimed to reveal links between the “Met’s most controversial senior officer and a fraudster lawyer” – a writ filed at the High Court has stated.
Dizaei has launched a libel action seeking unlimited damages for defamation over claims made in the article.
Lawyers representing Dizaei are suing publishers Associated Newspapers saying the story in question suggested Dizaei betrayed his employers by secretly selling his services as a consultant to defence solicitors, advising them on how to undermine charges brought by the police.
According to the writ, Dizaei claims the stories injured his professional and personal reputation and caused him serious embarrassment and distress.
He is seeking aggravated damages, saying he suffered extreme anxiety and distress, and feared he would be prosecuted by police.
He also claimed Associated Newspapers knew allegations about him would be repeated in other newspapers.
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