British Indian Landlord Stripped of Royal Honour Amid Allegations
King Charles III revokes the honour awarded in 2010 after the London based businessman was fined £300,000 for illegal property conversions and renting out premises in poor living conditions.
LONDON, Oct 22: British Indian landlord Nirpal Singh Riat has been stripped of his Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) after being found to have brought the UK’s honours system into disrepute over housing-related offences.
Riat’s name appeared on an updated list issued by the UK Cabinet Office this month, confirming the annulment of his royal honour. The award had been conferred on him by the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2010 in recognition of his contributions to charity and the Punjabi community.
According to the Cabinet Office statement, King Charles III directed that Riat’s appointment as an Officer of the Civil Division of the Order of the British Empire, dated December 31, 2010, be cancelled and annulled, with his name removed from the official register.
The decision follows controversy surrounding Riat’s property business, which came under scrutiny during court proceedings approximately three years ago. Local media reports said the businessman, now in his 70s, was fined £300,000, reportedly among the largest penalties imposed in west London, for illegally converting houses into flats and renting outbuildings to vulnerable tenants living in unacceptable conditions.
Reports also referred to an earlier penalty linked to an unauthorised property conversion.
Riat has disputed some of the allegations against him, describing them as fabricated. However, the matter was subsequently brought to the attention of the Honours Forfeiture Committee by a local councillor in Hounslow.
The committee, which operates in an advisory capacity under the UK Cabinet Office, examines cases involving recipients of national honours who may have damaged the reputation of the honours system through their conduct.
The revocation of Riat’s OBE is an uncommon measure within the British honours system, which allows awards to be withdrawn when recipients are considered to have brought them into disrepute.
The development comes after a similar action against Indian-origin businessman Lord Rami Ranger in 2024. Ranger was stripped of his Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), awarded by Queen Elizabeth II in December 2015 for services to British business and the Asian community.
The Forfeiture Committee concluded that Ranger had brought the honours system into disrepute. He subsequently challenged the decision in court and, earlier this month, secured permission for a judicial review of the annulment.
His legal team is expected to argue at a full hearing in the coming months that the decision was disproportionate and that proper procedures had not been followed.
Under the UK’s honours hierarchy, a CBE ranks above an OBE. Both awards recognise significant contributions in areas such as public service, business, charity and community work.
