Two prominent Indian-origin individuals in the UK have had their prestigious Order of the British Empire honours revoked. Raminder Singh Ranger, a member of the UK Parliament’s upper house and founder of the consumer goods company Sun Mark, lost his Commander of the British Empire (CBE) honour. Similarly, Anil Kumar Bhanot, known for his contributions to the Hindu community and interfaith relations, had his Officer of the British Empire (OBE) title annulled. These decisions were made official by King Charles III, citing reasons that included “bringing the honours system into disrepute.”

Lord Rami Ranger, as he is known, was awarded the CBE in December 2015 in recognition of his contributions to British business and the Asian community. The late Queen Elizabeth II conferred this third-highest honour in the Order of the British Empire upon him in the New Year’s Honours list. However, following an investigation by the House of Lords, it was found that he had breached the parliamentary Code of Conduct, specifically relating to allegations of “bullying and harassment.” Despite this, the UK Cabinet Office’s Forfeiture Committee, which recommended the cancellation, has not provided a detailed explanation for its decision.

“The King has directed that the appointment of Raminder Singh, Baron Ranger to be a Commander of the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, dated December 31, 2015, shall be cancelled and annulled and that his name shall be erased from the Register of the said Order,” an official notice announced.

Lord Ranger’s spokesperson expressed disappointment at the decision, describing it as “unjust” and indicating plans to challenge it. The spokesperson elaborated, stating, “Lord Ranger is devastated that the CBE awarded to him for his services to British business and for promoting community cohesion has been taken away. The Forfeiture Committee has re-visited a number of matters that had already been dealt with and for which Lord Ranger apologised, undertook rehabilitative training around his use of language, and came off social media.”

In another case, Anil Kumar Bhanot, who had received the OBE in June 2010 for his work with the Hindu community and fostering interfaith harmony through his association with the Hindu Council UK, was also stripped of his honour. Although specific details regarding Bhanot’s case remain unclear, officials confirmed the decision as part of the same process.

The rules governing the revocation of such titles stipulate that honours can be withdrawn under several circumstances. These include instances where the recipient is convicted of a criminal offence, faces censure by a professional or regulatory body, or engages in behaviour deemed to undermine the integrity of the honours system.

Lord Ranger has faced scrutiny in recent years. The House of Lords report last year concluded that he had violated conduct codes. However, his representatives argue that these issues were addressed through public apologies, remedial training, and behavioural adjustments. Despite these efforts, the Forfeiture Committee seemingly took these past incidents into account when deciding to revoke his CBE.

The spokesperson added, “Lord Ranger is devastated by this decision. He believes that the Forfeiture Committee has overlooked the steps he had taken to atone for his actions and the significant contributions he has made to society.”

The annulment of honours is a rare occurrence and typically reserved for cases where individuals have brought the system into disrepute through unethical or criminal behaviour. Both cases highlight the UK government’s commitment to preserving the integrity of its honours system, ensuring that recipients continue to uphold the values and expectations associated with such recognitions.