Acquitted Air India suspect sues B.C., Ottawa - he still owns million dollars in legal fees
One of the men accused, then acquitted in Canada’s worst act of terrorism is suing the attorneys general of Canada and British Columbia, alleging the Air India prosecution damaged his reputation and cost him millions.
Vancouver businessman Ripudaman Singh Malik was acquitted in March 2005 in the 1985 Air India bombings, which killed 331 people.
A report published Wednesday in the Globe and Mail says Malik is seeking unspecified damages in a filing in the Supreme Court of B.C. for:
- Malicious prosecution.
- Wrongful imprisonment.
- Breach of the plaintiff’s Charter rights.
- Conspiracy to injure.
- Negligent performance of duty.
- Damage to the plaintiff’s reputation in connection with the plaintiff’s wrongful prosecution.
Air India Flight 182 had left Toronto, made a stop in Montreal, and was headed for New Delhi and Bombay on June 23, 1985, when it exploded in mid-air off the coast of Ireland.
The bombing was the worst mass murder in Canadian history, killing all 329 people on board, including 286 Canadians. Two baggage handlers in Japan were killed in a related bombing the same day.
In 2005, Malik was acquitted on all 331 murder counts.
However, he argues the charges pinned on him hurt his reputation and cost him millions of dollars for his defence. The Crown initially gave him $6 million to fund his defence, but wants him to repay the funds.
In October 2000, some 15 years after the RCMP launched the investigation into the bombings, police arrested Malik and Ajaib Singh Bagri, of Kamloops, and charged both men with first-degree murder and conspiring to plant bombs on an airplane.
They were denied bail, but released in March 2005 when the judge ruled the Crown’s case was too weak and cleared both men of all charges.
Malik, who had been a wealthy and respected businessman, was accused of bankrolling the attacks. Malik told a bail hearing in December 2000 that he and his wife had a net worth of USD nine million. Later Malik has claimed that he does not have any money to pay his legal fees estimated at around USD 5 million.
Malik had signed an agreement in 2002 with the provincial government to cover this legal costs on the condition that he liquidate his assets. He did not pay money back to government. While Malik was claiming his “Indigent” status his family including his wife were buying million dollars properties in Surrey BC.
Linda Mueller, a spokeswoman in the BC Attorney General’s Ministry, said the government is reviewing the court documents to determine a response. “… Malik does own the taxpayers of BC several million dollars that we advanced to him to pay the defense costs for Air India”.
David Unterman, Malik’s lawyer, did not return calls for comment.
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I own BC government $2045 much less than Malik ; I pay an installment, always on time. Despite of it every month I receive government letters notifying that if I stop paying they will sue me. Malik owns million dollars that BC government paid with our money on his behave. And this is Malik who sues government. WOW!!!
Boris Todderman
