LONDON: Prominent British-Sikh businessman Peter Virdee, wanted in connection with an investigation into multi-million pound bribery by the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA), has been charged with bribing a foreign public official.
Virdee, 50, also known as Hardip Singh, appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court where he was charged along with the company of which he is a director. He has been released on bail to appear at Southwark Crown Court on June 20, the NCA said.
The NCA said: “Peter Virdee, 50, also known as Hardip Singh, appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court where he was charged with bribing a foreign public official. It is alleged that between January 2015 and July 2017 he bribed Asot Michael, a member of Parliament and Minister of Tourism, Economic Development Investment and Energy of Antigua and Barbuda, for the benefit of PV Energy Ltd, the company of which he is a director, PV Energy Ltd, was simultaneously charged with failing to prevent bribery in relation to the same crimes.”
Virdee has not commented on the charges, but sources close to him have denied them.
According to court documents, Virdee was charged with bribing a foreign public official in violation of Section 6 of the Bribery Act 2010.
PV Energy, between 1 January 2015 and 26 July 2017, failed to prevent Singh (also known as Peter Virdee), a person associated with PV Energy Limited, from bribing another person, Michael, with the intention of obtain or retain business for PV Energy Limited. or intending to obtain or retain an advantage in the conduct of business for PV Energy, according to the details of the bribery charge.
Under the PTI government in July 2019, Virdee had announced that he would commit millions of pounds to Pakistan Gurdwaras to respond to the Pakistani state's decision to establish the Kartarpur Corridor to facilitate Sikhs from around the world to visit Pakistan to visit its most important places. sacred.
He had announced that his charity Peter Virdee Foundation would join other Sikh groups to inject £500 million into Pakistan to renovate and modernize hundreds of Gurdwaras.
Virdee, a high-profile businessman, has donated money to both the Conservatives and Labour. He had previously donated £100,000 to the Conservatives.
