NO FURTHER action will be taken following a complaint of alleged 'corrupt practice' made by a senior Torfaen council officer against Gwent Police Chief Constable Jeff Farrar, the Gwent Police and Crime Commissioner has said.

The Argus reported how Farooq Dastgir, who was cleared of fraud following a trial earlier this year, had made a complaint about the chief constable and said he was "looking for justice".

The complaint was also made against previous chief constable Carmel Napier.

But today Gwent Police and Crime Commissioner Ian Johnston said he had dealt with the complaint and did not propose to take any further action.

He said: "“As the police and crime commissioner for Gwent I am responsible for holding the chief constable to account for the delivery of local policing. This includes responsibility for complaints by members of the public about the conduct of the current and former chief constable.

“I can confirm that I have dealt with a complaint from Mr Dastgir and do not propose to take any further action. There are procedures to be followed in such cases, including a right of appeal against my decision and it would therefore be inappropriate for me to comment any further at this time.”

A spokeswoman for Mr Farrar said: "The chief constable absolutely refutes the allegations made by Mr Dastgir but welcomes the transparent, open scrutiny and review that anyone in public office might expect when complaints are made."

When asked whether he will make an appeal, Mr Dastgir said he hadn't received all of the answers from the police yet as his complaint was about a few others and not just the chief constable and former chief constable.

The Argus previously reported how complaints had also been made against Detective Chief Superintendent Geoff Ronayne and three other Gwent Police employees.

Mr Dastgir said: “When I have got all of the responses back I will continue forward.

“My legal team and I will make a decision whether to appeal not once all of the responses from the other people involved are back.

“I am not sure at this moment in time when that will be.”

A Gwent police spokeswoman said:"With regards to other individuals within the force the complaint was referred under mandatory criteria to the IPCC and referred back to the force. 

"We have notified the IPCC of new information received since then, which is currently being assessed. “

"No enquiries will be made or investigation carried out by Gwent Police until the IPCC have made a decision."

Mr Dastgir, 53, ran an IT centre dealing with data from Torfaen Council, Monmouthshire Council and Gwent Police before he was suspended on full pay in 2011.

He and his co-defendant Gary Inchliffe were accused of false accounting during a high profile three-week trial in which the prosecution claimed Mr Dastgir used council money to pay for a South Wales Argus supplement advertising digital developments in Torfaen which he was told should be funded through private sponsorship.

A jury took less than three hours to return its verdict at Cardiff Crown Court and the pair were unanimously acquitted.