UK, London: King Charles III has revoked the honors of two prominent members of the British Indian community, Raminder Singh Ranger and Anil Bhanot, following controversies. Ranger, a Conservative Party peer, has lost his Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) honor, while Bhanot, managing trustee of the Hindu Council UK, has been stripped of his Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) distinction.

The decision was made following the recommendations of the UK's Forfeiture Committee and was formally published in The London Gazette. Ranger, a wealthy entrepreneur and founder of Sun Mark, a consumer goods company, is now required to return his CBE insignia to Buckingham Palace. Similarly, Bhanot, an accountant and community leader, must return his OBE insignia and is no longer allowed to reference his honor.

The Forfeiture Committee, which reviews cases involving misconduct among individuals holding UK honors, highlighted the importance of maintaining the integrity of the honors system. According to media reports, Ranger’s CBE was revoked due to allegations of “bringing the honors system into disrepute.” Last year, a House of Lords investigation found Ranger in violation of its Code of Conduct due to claims of “bullying and harassment.”

A notice in The London Gazette announced, “The King has ordered that the appointment of Raminder Singh, Baron Ranger, as Commander of the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, dated December 31, 2015, be revoked, and his name be removed from the Register of the Order.”

The Forfeiture Committee also reportedly reviewed complaints from the Sikh separatist group Sikhs for Justice, along with accusations that Ranger made derogatory remarks about journalists and public figures on social media.

Meanwhile, Anil Bhanot, who operates a community center in Leicester, faced accusations of Islamophobia following tweets about Hindus in Bangladesh in 2021. Despite claims that he had been cleared by the Institute of Chartered Accountants and the Charity Commission, the Forfeiture Committee recommended revoking his OBE.