Raj Grewal seeking dismissal of criminal charges connected to time as Liberal MP – National | 24CA News

A former Liberal MP is looking for the dismissal of two legal fees related to his time in workplace.

Raj Grewal‘s lawyer argues that prosecutors haven’t introduced sufficient proof to search out him responsible of the 2 breach of belief fees, and the Crown has failed to determine important parts required for such a discovering.

The Crown has sought to show that Grewal used his political workplace for private achieve, providing entry to occasions with the prime minister and assist with immigration information in alternate for giant loans that went towards his playing debt.

In written arguments filed in Ontario Superior Court, the defence says his conduct falls squarely inside the non-criminal class, and the prosecution’s case doesn’t maintain water.

Grewal appeared in court docket Monday through videoconference as his lawyer, Nader Hasan, put ahead his movement for a directed verdict and an acquittal on all fees.

Hasan says in his written arguments there’s a distinction between misusing one’s official standing for a corrupt function and making a mistake – and even appearing dishonourably – whereas serving in workplace.

“The latter is not a breach of trust,” the doc says. “It may be an error in judgment deserving of administrative sanction, or it may simply be a personal failing that has no sufficient nexus to merit sanction at all. Either way, it is not criminal.”

2:09Raj Grewal says he’s repaid thousands and thousands in debt, might not resign

Grewal, who was first elected to symbolize the Ontario driving of Brampton East in 2015 and is himself a lawyer, didn’t disclose a collection of huge loans to the federal ethics commissioner.

An evaluation of Grewal’s financial institution accounts provided throughout the prosecution’s proof discovered that he had taken in some $6 million value of deposits bigger than $10,000 within the time after he was elected as an MP, and that important quantities of that cash went to funds on the Casino Lac-Leamy.

The most politically salient allegations in opposition to Grewal are that he provided lenders face time with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in alternate for his or her monetary assist.

Two Brampton-area businessmen who every supplied a $200,000 mortgage to Grewal additionally attended occasions throughout Trudeau’s storied journey to India in 2018.

A former Liberal staffer testified that each Yusuf Yenilmez and Andy Dhugga have been on a shortlist of individuals whom Grewal invited to a non-public meet-and-greet with Trudeau.

But neither acknowledged that they anticipated such entry in alternate for the loans – and Hasan argues that the proof at trial “flatly contradicts” the notion.

Both businessmen described themselves as associates with Grewal and testified that they have been unaware their names had been put ahead for an unique occasion. Moreover, neither described the chance for a photo-op with Trudeau as “particularly valuable,” the defence submission recounts.

1:47Senior Liberals: Grewal lied about playing money owed

The prosecution additionally alleged that seven different lenders acquired immigration-related help from Grewal’s workplace, mostly within the type of letters supporting purposes for non permanent resident visas.

Hasan notes that such letters are “not scarce,” as MPs’ places of work frequently present them to constituents, and they aren’t a needed a part of the applying packages.

The concept that loans have been supplied in alternate for the letters as a quid professional quo “defies common sense,” the defence says.

If such letters and even invites to meet-and-greets are normal actions for an MP’s workplace, it could have been extra problematic, Hasan argues, if Grewal had “refused to provide these men with these standard constituency services simply because he had a personal relationship with them or obtained personal loans from them.”

To meet the usual for a breach of belief cost, the Crown should have introduced proof that Grewal was appearing in reference to the duties of his workplace, that his conduct represented a severe and marked departure from the requirements anticipated of somebody in his place or that he acted with the intention to make use of his public workplace for a function aside from the general public good.

The Crown has not succeeded in that, the defence insists.

Grewal resigned as a member of the Liberal caucus in 2018 after his playing drawback got here to public consideration, and he didn’t run for re-election.

In 2020, the RCMP charged him with 4 counts of breach of belief and one depend of fraud over $5,000, however solely two breach of belief fees stay.

His trial started final summer time, and solely the prosecution has wrapped up its case after 9 weeks’ value of proof. If the defence doesn’t reach acquiring a directed verdict from the choose, the trial may proceed into the spring.

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