An Ontario lawyer accused of advising former Canadian Olympian-turned-alleged cocaine trafficker Ryan Wedding on the murder of a federal witness has been granted bail ahead of his extradition hearing.
Deepak Paradkar, 62, of Thornhill, Ont., was granted bail in a Toronto courtroom on Dec. 23 after being arrested last month for extradition to the United States as part of an investigation targeting Wedding, who tops the FBI’s most wanted list.
Paradkar is also accused of connecting Wedding to drug traffickers who transported products across North America and overseeing intelligence collection following drug seizures by law enforcement.
Federal prosecutors had argued Paradkar has an “extraordinary” incentive to flee if released on bail because he faces multiple life sentences if found guilty in the United States. The Crown also argued he might communicate with the alleged criminal organization if released….