British Sikh businessman charged with bribing foreign public official

London: A British-Sikh businessman wanted in connection with a multimillion-pound bribery investigation by the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) was charged with bribing a foreign public official in a London court on Thursday.

Peter Virdee, 50, also known as Hardip Singh, appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court, where he was charged alongside the company of which he is a director.

He has been released on bail to appear before Southwark Crown Court on June 20.

"It is alleged that between January 2015 and July 2017, he [Virdee] bribed Asot Michael, a Member of Parliament and Government Minister of Tourism, Economic Development Investment and Energy for Antigua and Barbuda, to benefit PV Energy Ltd, the company he is a director of", the NCA said in a statement.

"PV Energy Ltd was simultaneously charged with failing to prevent bribery in relation to the same offences", it said.

According to court papers, Virdee was charged with bribing a foreign public official contrary to Section 6 of the Bribery Act 2010.

PV Energy was charged with failing to prevent bribery contrary to Sections 7 and 11(3) of the Bribery Act 2010.

PV Energy, between January 1, 2015, and July 26, 2017, failed to prevent Hardip Singh (aka Peter Virdee), a person associated with PV Energy Limited, from bribing another person, Michael, intending to 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.