Former MP Raj Grewal seeks damages after acquittal last year – Winnipeg Free Press

OTTAWA — Former Liberal MP Raj Grewal is seeking millions of dollars in damages from the RCMP and Ontario attorney general after being acquitted of using his political office for personal gain.

In a lawsuit filed in Ontario Superior Court, Grewal's lawyer claims Mounties was negligent in its investigation and that the Crown violated his right to a fair trial by unreasonably prosecuting the prosecution.

Grewal resigned from the federal Liberal caucus in 2018 after his gambling problems came to light and chose not to seek re-election in the Ontario riding of Brampton East the following year.

In 2020, the RCMP charged him with four counts of breach of trust and fraud over $5,000.

The Crown alleges Grewal offered access to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and help with immigration files in exchange for large loans for his gaming debt.

The judge concluded that a properly instructed reasonable jury could not have returned a guilty verdict, so he acquitted Grewal on two counts of breach of trust that were still on the table at the time.

Grewal said that although he had sought financial help from friends and family to cover gambling expenses, he had never done so because of his duties or privileges as an MP.

“The fundamental flaws in the case against Mr. Grewal were evident from the early stages of the investigation,” the complaint said.

“The state should not be allowed to use the coercive powers of the criminal justice system to prosecute without merit.”

Grewal's acquittal does not, by itself, correct or excuse the RCMP's negligence and the Crown's abuse of the criminal justice system.