Joanna Atkinson
Management Secretary
The Leader’s Office
Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council
Rotherham Town Hall
The Crofts
S60 2TH
Tel: (01709) 822729
e-mail: joanna.atkinson@rotherham.gov.uk
Working days:- Thurs & Fri
Visit our website: http://www.rotherham.gov.uk
The Council can confirm that Cllr. Jahangir Akhtar has stepped down from his role as Deputy Leader of Rotherham Council and Vice Chair of the Police and Crime Panel.
The Council has referred the allegations made in the Times newspaper (23rdAugust) relating to Cllr. Akhtar to South Yorkshire Police to consider if any criminal offence has been committed and to undertake any appropriate criminal investigation.
Rotherham Politics 
Have we not heard this already?
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Heard he ran off whith a 15 year old and I’m not joking either
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There is a propaganda campaign going on, the theme of which is to redirect the issue on to one which Akhtar, the Counil and SYP think they can win. It is the sign of a good PR team, if not an honourable Council.
This is precisely what the Police did at Hillsbrough, where here was a strategy of blaming the fans to take attention away from the Police themselves.
There was never a suggestion that Akhjtar was on this occasion committing an illegal act.
The issues are primarily around whether the SYP and Social Service behaved properly and in the interests of children? Has there been a cover up and self granted pardon for agencies and individuals who clearly failed?
With regard to Akhtar the issues are did he put pressure on to get his relative off and why has he not applied this experience and demanded and inquiry and heads rolling once he came into a position of power? Why has since becoming a Councillor has he denied that these things happen?
Wil
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Translation:
Go away you silly people we have the power and support of all the arms of the establishment and are not going to prosecute ourselves and our friends nor dig our own graves.
PS
Keep paying your taxes
Yours with contempt and arrogance.
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No one has alleged a criminal offence, not even the Times newspaper!
This is an illogical response in the circumstances and surely amounts to wasting Police time.
Result therefore known and Akhtar cleared, will be the undoubted outcome.
We need independent scrutiny not these cover-ups!
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Will Ewart: You say There was never a suggestion that Akhtar was on this occasion committing an illegal act. In the BBC programme Jessica says the Akhtar was aware of what was going on between his 24 year old groomer, relation and her a 14 year old child. I’m not a lawyer.but if this is true and if he was aware and did nothing about it then by his silence surely he has to have been complicit in a crime!
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Jessica’s case must be investigated! It is her evidence that must be taken seriously and given due credence.
That can’t be delivered by the self same internal investigations being proposed by the Leader and Shaun Wright, both of whom are, in it up to their necks, in this outrageous cover-up!
Nothing short of fully external investigators will do!
The Labour Party should investigate and suspend Jahangir Akhtar’s party card.
The Council should appoint an independent person to conduct an investigation into their involvement.
The Police should be investigated by the IPCC about their role and failures.
All victims should be contacted, to ascertain whether now, as adults, they wish to make a criminal complaint s against their abusers.
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Regarding a criminal act – maybe not. I think will’s response hits the nail on the head (cliche- sorry)
As I’ve said before I welcome an independent inquiry – judicial – one that will look at ‘reckless abuse of a public position.’ That would perhaps target the issues more thoroughly and also look at the systematic abuse of power in a holistic manner. A few at RMBC (elected or not) would be sweating a bit more then,
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SKT: There’s no such thing as maybe regarding a crimminal act. You have either committed one or you haven’t! The police are going to look at Akhtar’s role in all of this, but can we trust the police? I agree with the second part of your post – it has to be fully independent though!
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I’m not saying its not criminal Mal. I actually agree with you.
What I meant to say (and should have done better) is that by going down the road of an ‘independent’ (I wish) local police criminal investigation there will be plenty of opportunities for a ‘get out’; some would say yet another cover up. . That’s why I added the second part of my post.
I have no faith in the promised police ‘investigation’ at all. It would be like asking me to mark my own exam paper. Although thinking on I would actually fail myself it it wasn’t up to standard; I tend to be honest in all matters. Unlike those involved in ~The Grooming Scandal’
Sorry for the confusion -I’ve had long day writing a very important communication re it all.
SKT xxxx
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