Toronto police have confirmed Ontario Progressive Conservative party candidate and police officer Roshan Nallaratnam is facing a professional standards investigation after allegedly making threats during the election campaign.
The NDP released a statement Monday morning which said that Nallaratnam, PC candidate for the Scarborough-Guildwood riding, allegedly threatened a Tamil community member when asked why he was avoiding debates.
In an email written in Tamil, Nallaratnam allegedly called the member a “f**ker” and threatened him “not to do anything nasty campaigning against me” and also, “I will teach you something after the election.”
The NDP said the alleged email was sent to 96 people, including many from the Tamil community.
“The ominous threat is even more chilling given that Nallaratnam is a Toronto Police Officer,” the statement said. “Will Doug Ford denounce this unacceptable behaviour from his candidate, and demand Nallaratnam apologize for his abusive language and threat?”
A spokesperson for the PC Party released a statement on behalf of Nallaratnam that denied he sent the email in question.
“The email is a fabrication from an account that does not belong to me. I have not been contacted by Toronto Police Services regarding this matter,” the statement said. “I understand that every complaint made is reviewed, but again I have not been contacted.”
When asked about the situation at a campaign event in Scarborough Monday morning, leader Doug Ford said elections get heated but that his party is staying positive.
“We’re staying positive on this campaign, we’re going to make sure we deliever transit to the people of Scarborough, that’s what they care about,” he said.
He then diverted to pointing out various campaign promises such as lower gas prices.
When asked a followup question in regard to Nallaratnam, who was standing behind Ford at the press conference looking calm, Ford told reporters the party would have to “look into it.”
In a statement released by the Liberals Monday morning, the party said Ford must fire Nallaratnam.
“Doug Ford must remove his candidate in Scarborough-Guildwood after news Toronto police has launched an investigation into threats he made during the campaign.”
“Allegations of intimidation and retribution by a member of our police services and a candidate for high office needs to be taken with the utmost seriousness. It is incumbent on Ford to demonstrate his standards,” the statement continued.
On his PC party candidate page, it says Nallaratnam has served as a Toronto police officer for the past nine years.
—With files from Jamie Mauracher
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