Brampton: Raj Grewal, a former Liberal MP from Brampton East, who resigned from his post in 2018, was today acquitted by the court.
Five charges were slapped on Grewal, out of which three had already been withdrawn and the remaining two criminal charges have also been abolished.
It may be recalled that a nine-month trial in connection with the case was conducted by the court last year. During this time, the testimony of many people was taken and questioned in connection with the case. But now it has come to light from reliable sources that all the charges against Raj Grewal have been dismissed by the judge.
These charges have been dismissed under the Special Procedure, called as direct verdict. This verdict was given because crown prosecutors could not produce any evidence to prove the allegations against Grewal. It is also pertinent to mention here that in very few cases the judge dismisses the charge under the directed verdict in respect of the accused.
Earlier, an application was filed by Raj Grewal that the Crown Lawyer was unable to produce any evidence in connection with the allegations against him, so instead of further delaying the case, it should be decided. While allowing Grewal’s application and keeping in view the ongoing hearing of the case so far, the judge has acquitted Raj Grewal and the case against him has been dismissed.
The judge will pronounce the verdict in the case in detail on Friday. After this, Raj Grewal will also hold a press conference.
Pertinently, Raj Grewal was accused of not disclosing the funds of around 6 million to the Ethics Commissioner. At the same time, he was also accused of fraud and breach of trust. According to court documents, the police had alleged that between October 19, 2015, and April 23, 2019, Grewal, who was then an MP, received funds to the tune of USD 6 million, which he did not disclose to the Ethics Commissioner, who was termed as a Breach of Trust.
Not only this, Raj Grewal was also accused of using this amount for personal gain. Raj Grewal left the Liberal Caucus in 2018 after the Prime Minister’s Office revealed that he was undergoing medical treatment to deal with gambling addiction. It was also believed that due to this addiction, he had a lot of debt. He later continued to sit in parliament as an independent candidate but then did not stand in the 2019 elections.