Monday, June 08, 2009

No charges over fund-raising allegations

From the Surrey Leader:
    Former Newton-North Delta MP Gurmant Grewal said he was "relieved and pleased" to hear there will be no charges laid against him over a six-year-old complaint about misuse of donated funds.

    A statement released Wednesday by the Criminal Justice Branch of the BC Attorney General's ministry said a review of the RCMP investigation conducted in 2005 "has concluded that there is no substantial likelihood of conviction of any criminal offence."
And
    "While some donors may have expected that the donations were to be used as political contributions, the available evidence does not establish that Mr. Grewal was aware of those expectations," the Criminal Justice Branch statement reads.

    "The evidence falls short of proving that Mr. Grewal intentionally deceived donors with respect to the purpose of their donations. The available evidence also is not sufficient to prove that these donors directed Mr. Grewal as to the use of the funds and that Mr. Grewal acted contrary to those directions."

    "In the absence of sufficient evidence that Mr. Grewal deliberately misled donors, or that he knowingly acted contrary to express directions with respect to the use of the donations, there is not a substantial likelihood of conviction of any Criminal Code offence."