A council housing boss under police investigation for a multi-million property fraud has been sacked for gross misconduct.

Jugal Sharma has been dismissed from his £82,000-a-year head of housing role at Brighton and Hove City Council for gross misconduct following a disciplinary panel hearing.

Mr Sharma has seven days to appeal the decision.

The 53-year-old, who owns a home in Holland Road, Hove, was suspended in October last year following concerns raised by an anonymous whistleblower about irregularities in short-term leasing contracts.

In August, homes were raided by police across Sussex, Essex and London and computers and files were taken away as evidence as part of the investigation into an alleged £18 million fraud of council contracts dating back a decade.

The investigation centres on payments made to property services firm KEM run by Mr Sharma’s brother Ashley Parker.

Fellow KEM director Edward Charles Parker-Bancroft and Alan Fisher were also arrested as part of the police investigation.

In a statement, the council said it had put in place measures to ensure that any tenants living in properties connected to the investigation would continue to be housed in accordance with their existing arrangements.

The council’s chief executive Penny Thompson said: “Following a thorough and robust investigation Jugal Sharma has been dismissed by the council from his post as head of housing and his employment with the council has been terminated.

“The dismissal from employment was made by the unanimous decision of a panel of elected members on grounds of gross misconduct linked to short term leasing arrangements.

“The council’s investigations were initiated immediately after an anonymous ‘whistle blowing’ allegation.”

A local authority spokesman said arrangements would be made for the future leadership of the housing service and a redesign of the service is being looking into.

The council said it continued to fully support the ongoing police investigation and encouraged anyone with information to contact the council’s head of audit.