The Legislature Raids

So far as I could tell from days of raking the Vancouver Sun, The Province, Victoria Times Colonist, Google and Metacrawler, it seems that former Constable Dosanjh was being tried in B.C. Provincial Court as of May 17 ... and then vanished.

Dosanjh is only peripherally connected to the Legislature Raids revolving around Dave Basi & Bob Virk. But the Dosanjh trial does represent the first real accountability of anybody even remotely accused in that historic affair.

I've been tracking Basi & Virk for the 2-1/2 years since Dec. 29 2003 when RCMP Sgt. John Ward warned the province that organized crime had crept like a cancer into all levels of society.

I saw it as important to watch how the Ravinder Dosanjh case proceeded and what it revealed. But I could find nothing, after May 17, 2 days into the trial. So I began asking around.

Today, 2 June, I received some news via Vaughn Palmer, who gave permission for me to post his comments here:

Vaughn Palmer wrote:
mary:

case sat for a day or two, then was adjourned. i don't know if and when it will resume. the main basi/virk case has been put off until december.

vaughn palmer
Vancouver Sun Victoria Columnist
vpalmer@direct.ca


BC Mary replied:

Thanks, Vaughn. Doesn't the presiding judge usually give a reason for adjournment?

I don't want to sound conspiratorial, but it seems odd to approve an adjournment without some good reason for putting a police officer's career on hold indefinitely.

Is it OK by you, if I include your reply on The Legislature Raids blogspot?

Mary.


VP graciously responded:
post away....we're checking the court records to see when this goes to court next. but i am not aware of any unusual reason for the adjournment.

Vaughn Palmer
Vancouver Sun Victoria Columnist
vpalmer@direct.ca


I'm not doubting Palmer, nor am I unappreciative of his response, but questions began whirling around my head. I think it was when he used the term "for a day or two" when, ordinarily, Palmer is cutting-edge precise. It tells us that he wasn't there, he didn't know how long the trial had gone on. This is the opening trial to the larger, critically important trial of David Basi and Bob Virk. And Palmer wasn't there?

Then ... surely a trial isn't adjourned without a reason. Surely a good journalist like Vaughn Palmer, even if he hadn't attended that trial, would have noted its significance. Surely some media representative did make notes and reported the conclusion of the Ravinder Dosanjh trial in the daily media? If not, who could decide not to continue reporting on a story like this?

Another thing: Judge Bennett said that the Basi/Virk trial date would be "Not earlier than September 1, and not later than December 1."

Well ... all this vindicates The Legislature Raids blogspot. Can't quite believe it, but it does look as if "checking the court records" wouldn't have happened, if I hadn't asked Vaughn Palmer ... who then asked for the court records ...

It should worry us a lot, that this first trial on obstruction of justice by a Victoria police officer, appears to have disappeared.

I'll post more, right here, as it comes in. That's what this blogspot is all about, after all.