A lawyer from Brampton, allegedly linked to fugitive Ryan Wedding, was granted bail on Tuesday morning by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.
Deepak Paradkar, aged 62, is accused of being involved in Wedding’s drug-trafficking activities on an international scale, including advising Wedding to kill a witness.
This alleged “cocaine lawyer” was taken into custody in November and is facing extradition to the United States, where he could face a life sentence if convicted of charges such as conspiracy to commit murder and conspiracy to intimidate a witness.
According to Justice Peter Bawden’s ruling, “Mr. Paradkar will be released on a $5,250,000 surety bail.”
Paradkar’s wife and her cousin have been appointed as sureties, meaning they will monitor him to ensure compliance with court directives.
The specifics of the bail conditions will be established at a later date, as mentioned in the ruling.
Paradkar, whose law license was suspended by the Law Society of Ontario in early December, has denied all allegations against him.
Deepak Paradkar, a Brampton lawyer allegedly connected to fugitive Ryan Wedding, was granted bail on Dec. 23 by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. The 62-year-old is accused of playing a role in Wedding’s international drug-trafficking operation, including counselling Wedding to kill a witness.
Earlier this month, Paradkar requested bail under the condition that he would be under house arrest 24/7 unless he was accompanied by his wife or another family member. He also stated that he would refrain from using electronic devices, except for his wife’s cellphone, which would be under her supervision.
A representative from the Department of Justice Canada recently informed the court that Paradkar’s life could be at risk if released on bail, as he is considered a “liability” to Wedding’s criminal network.
The Attorney General also contended that the evidence against Paradkar, which includes testimony from cooperating witnesses, as well as text messages and phone calls, is “so overwhelming” that the accused might flee if released on bail.
Friends and family of Paradkar leave the courthouse after he was granted bail. (Lokchi Lam/CBC)
“I do not agree,” stated Justice Bawden in his ruling.
“From my perspective, an experienced defense attorney would not categorize this as a strong case for conviction,” he added.
Justice Bawden noted that appointing a surety would diminish the likelihood of Paradkar re-establishing connections with Wedding’s network.
Brampton lawyer Deepak Paradkar was among those arrested in the ongoing investigation of Ryan Wedding, an alleged Canadian drug lord. CBC’s Greg Ross breaks down what we know so far.
“I cannot envision any situation in which she would permit him to communicate with an organization that poses such a threat to her family,” he remarked in the ruling.
The ruling also cites Paradkar’s age and health as factors for granting bail, noting that the 62-year-old suffers from diabetes and has a “serious cardiac history.”
“His safety cannot be guaranteed in jail, and he would be at a disadvantage in defending himself if assaulted,” Justice Bawden stated.
