“If we allow this toxicity to spread unimpeded and unchallenged, it will create a political environment where Edmontonians, especially from diverse and under-represented backgrounds, are not comfortable fully participating in their democracy.”
Bezirgan, according to the statement of claim, is “a self-styled ‘citizen journalist,’ who does not abide by the ethics and other requirements that bind journalists.” Over the past year, says the statement of claim, Bezirgan, through his social media platforms, launched a video series around the false claims that Sohi, a former federal Liberal cabinet minister, is involved in serious criminality and corruption.
“Bezirgan falsely alleges, or has platformed and disseminated the false claims, that Sohi has employed his powers as an elected official to unlawfully benefit himself, family members, and friends at the expense of tax payers and the general public,” says the court document.
One of Bezirgan’s sources for the false claims is Rai, according to the statement of claim. It goes on to state that in a series of interviews, “Rai and Bezirgan claim that Rai investigated and determined that Sohi and a close relative improperly be improperly benefitted from a major infrastructure project in Regina with Sohi by unlawfully using his influence as a minister of the federal government to award a trucking contract for the project to a non-arm’s length company.”
The statement of claim continues, stating that Bezirgan also fundraised on the false claims made about Sohi and that Bezirgan and Rai’s statements were “made with malice and in bad faith, intended to harm Sohi’s political prospects.”
The statement of claim states that Bhullar, a former political opponent of Sohi’s, has repeated and amplified the defamatory statements made by Rai and Bezirgan, “with the intent of harming Sohi’s reputation in the South Asian community of Edmonton.”
Bhullar, says the statement of claim, also allegedly dispersed information about the location of Sohi’s home.
“The false statements initially centered around Sohi and his family members receiving financial kickbacks from construction developers in the form of receiving residential lots from them at discounts in an Edmonton subdivision in return for facilitating favourable development related approvals. Most recently, the false statements have expanded to claim that Sohi’s family members and friends have received unmerited government contracts on his direction,” says the statement of claim, referring to Bhullar’s alleged amplification of defamatory statements about the mayor.
As a result of the alleged smear campaign, “Sohi has been subject to death threats and other attacks that include references to the same false allegations made against him by the Defendants, including that he is a ‘crook,’ ‘corrupt,’ and engaged in corruption and other illegal acts. Sohi’s residence has also been subject to vandalism due to the direct and indirect lies the Defendants have spread about him,” summarizes the statement of claim.
Statements of claim contain allegations not proven in court.
Sohi is seeking a declaration that the publications made by the defendants regarding his being corrupt or involved in serious criminality are false, concludes the statement of claim. He wants a judgment against the defendants for general damages in the sum of $750,000, with any proceeds from the legal action donated to organizations to fight disinformation in the political sphere and aide under-represented communities to participate in the democratic process.
“In frequent pieces of content targeting Amarjeet Sohi, (Bezirgan) and his collaborator … make derogatory, inflammatory and libelous allegations of serious criminality and corruption against Amarjeet Sohi,” a late Friday press release from the mayor’s law firm states.
“These statements are untrue and made with intent to harm Amarjeet Sohi’s personal and political reputation. (Bezirgan) continues to produce this false content as it leads to viewership on social media platforms and advertising revenue.”
As a result of the allegations, Sohi has been subjected to death threats and other attacks that are connected to the allegations made against him by the three people, continues the law firm’s statement.
Sohi, in the statement, said he has served Edmonton and Canada with the “utmost integrity an honesty.” He said the false allegations aim to damage his personal and political reputation in Edmonton, especially among the South Asian community.
“If we allow this toxicity to spread unimpeded and unchallenged, it will create a political environment where Edmontonians, especially from diverse and under-represented backgrounds, are not comfortable fully participating in their democracy,” Sohi said in the statement.