A British Gurkha reached an out-of-court settlement with the government today in a lawsuit claiming that he was paid less than he deserved because of racial discrimination, AP reported.

The Commission for Racial Equality, which supported the case, praised the settlement for former Lance Cpl Hari Thapa, 40.

“We are particularly pleased for Thapa, who has spent five long years pursuing his case for justice,” said CRE acting Chairwoman Beverley Bernard. “We hope that this result will encourage others to pursue justice under the Race Relations Act, ” she added.

Thapa who now lives in South Wales said: “I am so delighted that the army have finally paid me simply what I had a right to receive. The army discriminates against the Gurkhas on racial grounds, and they knew that they would lose in the end.”

It was one of three court cases in Britain involving Gurkhas.