Birmingham's new equalities chief yesterday denied he had left Wales' top race relations body under a cloud.

Dr Mashuq Ally resigned from the prestigious post of director of the Welsh Commission for Racial Equality after an internal investigation was launched into his conduct.

The inquiry is understood to have concerned allegations of professional misconduct and inappropriate behaviour towards colleagues.

Dr Ally was suspended from his #40,000-a-year position at CRE Wales in February 2002 and an internal inquiry into the allegations against him was concluded in June of that year.

He tended his resignation in July 2002, days before an internal hearing was due to begin.

He told The Post yesterday that he was not personally investigated by the CRE, but that a broader inquiry into the organisation was carried out.

He said: ?I left through a mutual agreement. I resigned. I wanted to concentrate on broader issues than just race equality.

?There were press reports saying I left under a cloud but that is certainly not the case.

?There was an investigation, but it looked into an entirely different issue to my conduct when I was there. The inquiry was not investigating me, but projects that the CRE carried out.

?It was a voluntary organisation promoted and supported by the Welsh National Assembly. The inquiry looked into the conduct of the organisation.?

A spokesman from the CRE said yesterday the body had been ?looking into allegations into Mashuq?.

He added: ?As he is no longer a member of the CRE we cannot comment further.?

Dr Ally joined the South East Wales Race Equality Council (Sewrec) months after his two-year tenure heading the CRE Wales.

The organisation issued a statement in July 2003 stating it had made the ?very difficult decision? not to confirm the appointment of Dr Ally following his probationary period.

It added: ?Dr Ally acted in a manner that has damaged the relationship of confidence and trust which is embedded in the contract of employment between him and Sewrec. The actions of Dr Ally rendered this relationship unworkable.?

An employment tribunal case brought by Dr Ally was settled out of court.

Dr Ally, who was a former adviser on Islamic matters to Channel 4 and remains a regular contributor to BBC Radio Wales, took up a position as interim head of equalities and diversity at Birmingham last September.

His appointment to the permanent post in June followed a recruitment exercise in line with city council guidelines, Dr Ally said. ?They did their research and found that everything was OK. I had a reference from the CRE which was obviously satisfactory.?

Coun Alan Rudge (Con Sutton Vesey), the city council?s cabinet member for equality and human resources, said: ?It is a challenging agenda and Mashuq has shown that he has the skills needed for the job.?