Did the race-row councillor cleared by inquiry tell truth?

THE Capital's only Asian councillor has been cleared of wrongdoing by a public standards watchdog over comments he made about "institutional racism" following his son's arrest.

The Standards Commission cleared Shami Khan after he told investigators he had been "shocked" when he read his comments in the Evening News and had sought a retraction.

But today we publish a transcript of an interview in which Cllr Khan gives a very different version of events, saying he had been accurately quoted and was not seeking any apology or retraction.

The release of the tape today prompted calls for Cllr Khan to resign from the police board and a renewed inquiry from the Standards Commission.

Iain Whyte, the city's Tory group leader, said a second inquiry by the Standards Commission was needed to determine whether Cllr Khan had given false information to the watchdog.

Cllr Whyte was joined by his Lib Dem counterpart Councillor Jenny Dawe and Cllr Khan's fellow police board member Councillor Marilyne MacLaren in calling for him to resign.

Cllr Khan sparked the controversy last July when he claimed "institutional racism" was involved in the arrest of his son, Zeshan, 22, following an alleged incident outside a city nightclub.

Four days after the original article appeared, Cllr Khan told the Evening News he stood by his comments after being criticised by leading members of the Muslim community.

However, the police force's lay advisers watchdog then carried out an investigation into Cllr Khan's comments, and suggested the News should be asked to print a retraction.

Having not received any complaint from Cllr Khan, the News interviewed him again. In that interview, which we publish the transcripts of today, he said he had not intended to accuse the police of institutional racism, but instead talk about a society-wide problem in Scotland. He added he had been accurately quoted and saw no need for any retraction.

With the publication of the Standards Commission report, it has now emerged he told investigators he had sought a retraction from the News. Cllr Khan today declined to comment until he had more time to read the Standards Commission report.

Cllr Whyte said: "The Evening News transcript suggests that he has given the commission false information. If that's the case, there should be a second inquiry.

"If he maintains that he was misrepresented, and ultimately brought the police into disrepute, then he should be trying to contest that. Failing to do so would be incompatible with remaining a member of the police board."

Cllr Dawe added: "If there is new evidence that he did not tell the truth to the Standards Commission then, clearly, he must answer to that.

"If what he told the commission is contradicted by clear evidence from the Evening News, then he should resign from the board."

Cllr MacLaren said: "Anyone can make unfortunate comments in the heat of the moment. You have to show the courage to say sorry. This was not a witch hunt but he's made it far, far worse by trying to wriggle off the hook. If he has given fabrications to the commission then that's inexcusable."

Police board convener Eric Milligan said he was "very pleased" the "cloud [over Cllr Khan] had been lifted". He added: "If there is a difference between Cllr Khan and the Evening News, I'm sure it will come to light. In my experience, you should try and be consistent in what you say to different people. Cllr Khan will be a candidate for election in May."

In the wake of his son's arrest, Cllr Khan told the Evening News: "I'm not happy with the police. This has been going on for Asian people for too long. There is institutional racism involved."

William Falconer, 57, who lodged the complaint which sparked the Standards Commission investigation today also called for Cllr Khan to resign.

The retired hospital worker, of Mountcastle Gardens, which is in Cllr Khan's ward, said: "I was shocked when I heard the verdict. It's a disgrace. He should resign as a councillor. He's left a stain on Lothian and Borders Police."

Mr Falconer's complaint had accused Cllr Khan of bringing his office into disrepute by making the remarks, failing to bring his allegations to the police board before airing them in public and misleading the police board by backtracking from his original statement.

The News did not release the tape until today as we were unaware of the claims Cllr Khan had made to the Standards Commission. No one at the Commission was available for comment.