OTTAWA - The Supreme Court of Canada will hear an application from the B.C. government related to a $6-million legal bill owed by a man acquitted in the Air India bombing trial.
The province and Ripudaman Singh Malik have been in a legal battle over the fees for several years after the government agreed to pay for Malik's legal team up front if he repaid half of those fees.
An order allowing lawyers to search Malik's home, business and his son's law office is at the centre of the high court appeal.
A B.C. Supreme Court judge granted a request to search for documents relating to the assets and liabilities of Malik and several family members related to their ability to pay the massive bill.
A B.C. appeals court panel overturned the decision, saying there was no proof the defendants would destroy incriminating documents and ordered all the information returned.
In March 2005, Malik and a co-accused were acquitted in the bombings that killed 329 people on an Air India jet, and took the lives of two baggage handlers at Tokyo's airport.
