Lawyer convicted of forgery agrees to resign from Law Society of B.C.
A B.C. lawyer who was sentenced to 22 months in prison last year for his participation in efforts to deceive Canadian immigration authorities has agreed to resign from the provincial law society.
The Law Society of B.C. said in a statement Friday that Roger Balraj Singh Bhatti had reached a consent agreement regarding the society's professional misconduct proceeding against him.
In the agreement, Bhatti admits he engaged in dishonourable conduct in relation to clients he represented who were seeking refugee status in Canada between 2002 and 2014.
The misconduct involved submitting fake medical notes to the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada in order to obtain adjournments of proceedings, as well as submitting false evidence on behalf of his clients, according to the law society.
"The false evidence included police reports, medical reports and a death certificate that he knew had been falsified in order to support his clients’ refugee claims," the law society said in its statement.
In the consent agreement, Bhatti agrees to resign from the law society and not to apply for reinstatement.
In May 2022, he was sentenced to 22 months in prison after pleading guilty to 17 criminal charges.
The sentencing decision in his case provides additional information on the immigration scheme Bhatti helped orchestrate.
He pleaded guilty to three criminal counts of forgery, six criminal counts of uttering forged documents and eight counts of misrepresentation under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Acts.
The criminal counts all had to do with forging medical documents in order to get hearings postponed. The violations of the IRPA relate to forging medical and police reports "in concert" with a Hungarian interpreter in order to make false claims on applications for refugee status, the court documents say.
The eight counts of misrepresentation all stemmed from refugee claims made by Hungarian nationals who identified themselves as Roma and were seeking refugee status due to persecution based on their ethnicity.
In all, the court heard that Bhatti provided forged documents in five cases. Some of the claims were successful and some were not, but in all of them, Bhatti used the information from the forged documents to plead his clients' cases and deceive the board.
With files from CTV News Vancouver's Lisa Steacy
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Meta will test blocking news on Instagram, Facebook for some Canadians
Meta is planning to run a test that will block news for some Canadian users on Facebook and Instagram in response to the Liberal government's controversial online news bill.
Experts warn of 'rapid' growth of IBD as number of Canadians diagnosed set to reach 470K by 2035
The number of people in Canada with inflammatory bowel disease is increasing rapidly and is expected to grow to 470,000 by 2035, according to a new report from Crohn's and Colitis Canada
Hidden camera discovered in washroom at Gatineau, Que. elementary school
Gatineau police say officers responded to a call from staff at l’école l'Oiseau Bleu on Nelligan Street just after 10 a.m. Friday about a camera found in the washroom.
New non-invasive tool detects early stages of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's
Researchers at Carleton University's Department of Electronics in Ottawa created a ground-breaking testing device to detect early signs of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s through biomolecular activities in a person’s saliva.
Jordan's royal wedding gets underway in ceremony packed with stars and deep symbolism
The wedding of Jordan's crown prince to the scion of a prominent Saudi family began on Thursday in a palace celebration that drew massive crowds and a mood of excitement around the kingdom, while presenting the young Hashemite royal as a new player on the global stage.
'Tone-deaf': Singh slams rapporteur Johnston for not stepping down
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh slammed foreign interference special rapporteur David Johnston's refusal to heed the House of Commons' call for him to step down as 'tone-deaf.'
Despite munchies, frequent cannabis users are leaner and less likely to get diabetes: study
Despite the 'munchies' being a common cannabis effect, frequent users are leaner and less likely to develop diabetes than people who don't use the drug. According to a new study, cannabis use in teenage years may alter how the body's fat cells work.
Man accused of threatening to shoot Toronto mayoral candidates arrested
A man who allegedly threatened to shoot mayoral candidates that led to the cancellation of Thursday’s debate has been arrested.
Collapsed platform in Winnipeg's Fort Gibraltar last repaired a decade ago: city
The elevated walkway in Winnipeg's Fort Gibraltar that collapsed during a school field trip, sending 16 children and one adult to hospital, was last repaired a decade ago.
Vancouver Island
-
Wildfire near Sayward, B.C., remains out of control, but officials say progress being made
British Columbia wildfire officials say crews are making progress in their efforts to suppress a large forest fire on northern Vancouver Island, though the 160-hectare blaze was still burning out of control Thursday.
-
RCMP investigate indecent act involving 14-year-old in Langford
The West Shore RCMP are investigating a report of an indecent act involving a young girl that occurred in the heart of Langford on Wednesday evening.
-
Staff shortage, illnesses behind bus cancellations in Sooke School District
The Sooke School District says an ongoing staffing shortage and recent illnesses are behind the cancellation of several school bus routes.
Calgary
-
Suncor to cut 1,500 jobs by end of year, employees informed Thursday
Suncor Energy Inc. will cut 1,500 jobs by the end of the year, as new CEO Rich Kruger forges ahead with his mandate to reduce costs and improve the company's lagging financial performance.
-
Mayor, councillor clash during discussion about Calgary's social procurement program
Half a decade after it was pitched at city council, Calgary's strategy to partially evaluate suppliers on social policies is leading to a majority of contracts going to small or medium-sized businesses or groups that have diverse representation.
-
A standup start to National Indigenous History Month at the Calgary Public Library
If the celebration of Indigenous people and culture starts with a day or a month, Sherry Mckay is fine with that -- it could be what helps others get over their apprehensions.
Edmonton
-
Northern Alberta residents stay back to help protect community from wildfire
Mike Mercredi is staying back to protect his northern Alberta community from a nearby wildfire after hundreds of people were forced to evacuate the area.
-
Krispy Kreme planning Alberta expansion, starting in Edmonton
Krispy Kreme will soon have a drive-thru and dine-in location in the Alberta capital, and that's just the beginning, the global doughnut giant and a local developer announced Thursday.
-
Toronto
-
Man accused of threatening to shoot Toronto mayoral candidates arrested
A man who allegedly threatened to shoot mayoral candidates that led to the cancellation of Thursday’s debate has been arrested.
-
Ontario man says medication he's been taking for a decade just quadrupled in price
An Ontario man with a genetic disorder said he was shocked when he got his latest prescription filled for a medication he has been taking for the past ten years.
-
Ontario airport set to shutdown as landowner explores redevelopment plans
An Ontario airport announced it is planning on shutting down as its landowner explores redeveloping the grounds north of Toronto.
Montreal
-
Calling 311? Bill 96 now requires Montrealers to 'attest' they can get English services
Residents who wish to speak with the City of Montreal by calling 311 now have to attest they can receive services in English because of Bill 96. New provisions of the language law came into effect Thursday.
-
About 42,000 Hydro-Quebec customers still without power due to forest fires
Several regions of the province have been hit by power outages. The total of Quebec customers without electricity stood at around 42,000 as of 8:30 p.m. Thursday. At its peak, Hydro-Quebec said 250 thousand customers had lost power.
-
Montreal police to provide 'major' new development in woman's 1996 disappearance
Montreal police say they have made a 'major development' in the case of a missing woman from the late 1990s.
Winnipeg
-
Winnipeg among parts of Manitoba under heat warning
The mercury is rising in parts of Manitoba including Winnipeg where heat warnings have been issued.
-
Collapsed platform in Winnipeg's Fort Gibraltar last repaired a decade ago: city
The elevated walkway in Winnipeg's Fort Gibraltar that collapsed during a school field trip, sending 16 children and one adult to hospital, was last repaired a decade ago.
-
Manitoba premier issues apology for centre for people with intellectual disabilities
Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson formally apologized in the legislature Thursday to former residents of the Manitoba Developmental Centre, one of the country's last large institutional facilities for people with intellectual disabilities.
Saskatoon
-
Saskatoon Catholic school administrators meet LGBTQ2S+ protestors on their doorstep
A protest at Saskatoon’s Catholic school division over a leaked email described as discriminatory of the queer community led to a tense exchange with its director of education on Thursday.
-
Following outcry, Sask. government pledges $40M top-up for education budget
A month after Premier Scott Moe said more money was on the way for school divisions, Saskatchewan's education minister announced a $40 million top-up.
-
One injured after utility trailer fire: Saskatoon fire
One person was taken to hospital with burns following a trailer fire in Saskatoon.
Regina
-
Following outcry, Sask. government pledges $40M top-up for education budget
A month after Premier Scott Moe said more money was on the way for school divisions, Saskatchewan's education minister announced a $40 million top-up.
-
'This is disgusting': Sask. Indigenous prof says deep-rooted stereotypes continue to drive racial profiling
A Saskatchewan university business lecturer says companies need to do a better job of educating employees on consumer racial profiling.
-
Maxime Bernier part of group found guilty for breaking 2021 public health rules in Regina
Maxime Bernier, the leader of the People’s Party of Canada, is part of a group of people found guilty of breaking COVID-19 public health rules in Regina two years ago.
Atlantic
-
N.S. premier calls for urgent, proactive firefighting help from Ottawa
Premier Tim Houston repeated his calls for urgent firefighting help Thursday, asking Ottawa to “be proactive” with aid as multiple wildfires continue to burn out of control.
-
Waegwoltic Club burns in south-end Halifax
A historic athletic club in south-end Halifax is on fire.
-
Prospect Road fire 'knocked down,' but not yet under control: Halifax deputy fire chief
Halifax deputy fire chief David Meldrum says a new fire started Thursday afternoon on Prospect Road, near St. Margaret’s Bay Road, and “a large area of forest and brush are involved.”
London
-
Man known to frequent London wanted on a Canada-wide warrant
OPP are looking for Matthew Daigneault — wanted on a Canada-wide warrant for a breach of statutory release. He is described as a white man about 6’ tall, 243 lbs, with a short/receding hairline.
-
Two London, Ont. women tackle food insecurity in schools
Many children in Ontario are facing food insecurity, forcing them to rely on food banks for their nutritional needs.
-
London, Ont. boy organizes first ALS walk at his elementary school
The first Walk for ALS this year has taken place at an elementary school in London, Ont.
Northern Ontario
-
New non-invasive tool detects early stages of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's
Researchers at Carleton University's Department of Electronics in Ottawa created a ground-breaking testing device to detect early signs of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s through biomolecular activities in a person’s saliva.
-
Danny Masterson convicted of 2 counts of rape, 'That '70s Show' actor faces 30 years to life
'That '70s Show' star Danny Masterson was led out in handcuffs from a Los Angeles courtroom Wednesday and could get 30 years to life in prison after a jury found him guilty on two of three counts of rape at his second trial, in which the Church of Scientology played a central role.
-
3 girls now charged in assault, kidnapping investigation in Huntsville
Huntsville OPP has charged a third girl in connection to an alleged assault captured on video at a local high school and shared on social media earlier this month.
Kitchener
-
CAUGHT ON CAMERA
CAUGHT ON CAMERA | 'This isn’t going to happen today': Staff at Kitchener business recall how they thwarted attempted robbery
The shocking incident was captured on the store's security cameras.
-
One person dead, another critically injured in Guelph crash
Police say a man appeared to suffer from a medical incident while driving in Guelph, causing his vehicle to go off the road and hit a woman who was sitting on the grass.
-
New details in devastating Kitchener townhouse fire
Officials say it could be weeks – or months – before the residents displaced by a Kitchener townhouse fire can return home.