DRUG CHARGES LAID AGAINST BASI

Minister's Fired Aide Faces Two Counts After Police Raids

The former ministerial aide who was a focus of December's police raids on
the B.C. legislature was charged Wednesday with two drug offences.

David Basi, fired from his position as assistant to Finance Minister Gary
Collins one day after police searched his legislature office, faces one
count of possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of
trafficking "between March 2003 and December 2003" and one count of
production of a controlled substance "related to December of 2003."

Basi was among eight people from B.C. and Ontario charged as a result of
what police say was a joint RCMP-Victoria Police investigation that began
in the summer of 2002 and allegedly involved the trafficking of cocaine and
production of marijuana in Victoria, Vancouver and Toronto.

Basi's lawyer, Chris Considine, said the charges against his client relate
to marijuana and a late December police raid on a Shawnigan Lake rental
property owned by Basi. Police dismantled a marijuana grow op at the 3260
Shawnigan Lake Rd. property over the Christmas holidays, about the same
time they were searching the legislature and Basi's Saanich home.

Basi was issued a summons to appear in provincial court in November,
although no specific date has been set. Considine said that arrangement was
made because his client posed no flight risk.

Arrest warrants were issued Wednesday for the seven others charged and RCMP
Sgt. John Ward said police were in the process of making those arrests.
"Most of them will be arrested (Wednesday)," he said.

In a statement released through Considine Wednesday, Basi repeated his
assertions that he is not guilty.

"I would like to state unequivocally and without hesitation that I have not
cultivated marijuana and I am not guilty of the charges," Basi said. "I
intend to see this matter through to the end so that I am fully cleared and
my family and I are able to end this terrible nightmare. On numerous
occasions, I have offered to fully co-operate with the authorities. I
expect this matter will be resolved in the near future."

Considine said Basi, a "long-term dedicated public servant," had rented out
his Shawnigan Lake Road property to a third party "who apparently had a
marijuana grow operation."

"Mr. Basi is very disappointed that charges have been laid, however this is
apparently necessary before any further review of the evidence can take
place with the authorities," Considine said. "Mr. Basi has stated
previously that he did not participate in a grow operation."

Considine said many British Columbians with rental properties could find
themselves in the same position as Basi. The ordeal has been difficult for
Basi and his family, Considine said. Since losing his government job, the
37-year-old has worked odd jobs to support his family.

The RCMP stressed again Wednesday that no elected officials are involved in
the investigations.

"It's now before the courts so there's not much I have to say other than
obviously we're all disappointed," said Collins, Basi's former boss. "I
hope that it resolves itself soon, but we'll have to let the courts run
through the process."

Two other men believed to be from the Greater Victoria area were also among
those charged Wednesday, although RCMP would not confirm ages or home towns.

Mandeep Sandhu is charged with conspiracy to traffic in marijuana, while
Jasmohan (Jas) Bains has been charged with one count of conspiracy to
traffic a controlled substance, cocaine, between September 2003 and
December 2003.

Three other British Columbians and two people from Ontario were also
charged in the drug investigations.

John Scallon and Michael Doyle, both of B.C., were each charged with
conspiracy to traffic cocaine. Scallon has also been charged with one count
of conspiracy to traffic a controlled substance, cocaine, between September
2003 and December 2003. Jaspal "Tony" Singh of B.C. was charged with
conspiracy to traffic in marijuana.

Brahm Mikol of Toronto and Blythe Vernon of Scarborough, Ont., have each
been charged with one count of conspiracy to traffic a controlled
substance, cocaine, between September 2003 and December 2003.

Police would not comment Wednesday on specifics of the charges. But a
summary of the drug cases released earlier by B.C. Supreme Court said RCMP
were investigating "bulk" trafficking in cocaine and marijuana last
December when they executed the federal drug warrants linked to the
legislature raids.

Sandhu's name has previously surfaced in news reports about the police
raids on the legislature. In December he was reportedly recommended by Basi
for a director-at-large position on the executive of the Esquimalt-Juan de
Fuca federal Liberal constituency.

Sandhu, whose former home in Saanich was searched in December, is also a
cousin of Ravinder Dosanjh, the Victoria police officer who has been on
paid suspension since Dec. 15 while allegations of breach of trust and
obstruction of justice are investigated.

The names of Sandhu and Bains were also listed in search warrant
information released last week by the B.C. Supreme Court related to the
non-drug investigations that are central to the raid on the legislature
offices.

Basi was also named in the non-drug warrant information. It revealed that
police believed Basi and his brother-in-law Bob Virk, whose office was also
searched, had traded inside information to a lobbyist in exchange for help
with landing jobs with the federal government.

A decision on charges in the non-drug investigation is expected from
Special Prosecutor Bill Berardino before the end of the year.