ICAC Operation Rosny LIVE updates: Former Toplace lawyer Sharangan Maheswaran to resume evidence about Jean Nassif recordings

As the commission hears more evidence from Toplace lawyer Sharangan Maheswaran, it’s worth remembering the explosive evidence given by his former boss Jean Nassif.

The inimitable Kate McClymont has this recap of Nassif’s tirade – his spray directed at everyone from the “deep state” to ICAC staff.

Loyal Operation Rosny watchers will know we were told to expect the public hearings to run for about eight weeks.

We’re now reaching the end of week nine, with the rest of the week to hear from the single witness, Sharangan Maheswaran.

While the hearings may stretch into next week at a last resort, Maheswaran is the last person of interest we’re expecting to take to the witness box. His fellow Labor Strathfield councillor, Karen Pensabene, was also named as a person of interest connected to the alleged blackmailing of a former mayor, but she has provided a medical certificate and was excused from appearing at the public hearings.

Hello and welcome to another day of the ICAC’s Operation Rosny public hearings.

I’m state politics reporter Jessica McSweeney, and I’ll be bringing you all the latest updates as they happen inside the hearing room.

Today former Toplace lawyer and Strathfield councillor Sharangan Maheswaran returns to the witness box after a long day of questioning yesterday about his use of private investigators, and secret recording made by his former boss Jean Nassif which purported to show evidence of an extortion attempt.

Yesterday Maheswaran protested that a transcript prepared by the ICAC of a recorded conversation between Nassif and his supposed extorter did not reflect the evidence he believed was on the tape. This morning we’ll likely hear the actual audio played to the commission to get to the bottom of what really happened in that meeting.

Before then, here’s a recap of what we covered yesterday:

• Toplace lawyer Sharangan Maheswaran offered government relations consultant Jeremy Greenwood $1000 if he could convince a journalist to publish a story about the MP David Elliott supposedly breaching covid restrictions with a mystery woman. Elliott is not accused of wrongdoing.
• Jean Nassif alleged a contractor who was chasing him for money he believed he was owed was also attempting to extort him for $5 million, to be paid to a third party, in exchange for getting the building commissioner to drop a prohibition order against his development. Maheswaran told the then commissioner, David Chandler, about the alleged extortion attempt but did not report it to police.
• A transcript of a conversation recorded by Nassif with the contractor Navid Ardestani did not show any proof of such extortion attempt, Peggy Dwyer, SC, suggested. Text messages also showed Ardestani saying he didn’t do anything illegal and didn’t make any threats. Maheswaran insisted extortion or bribery threats were made, just not over text, and asked the ICAC to play an audio recording tomorrow which he believes will show references to a $5 million payment being requested.
• Maheswaran told the commission Nassif didn’t want to go to the police about the extortion allegation. Instead Maheswaran told Chandler, who he hoped would refute any suggestion he was connected to the extortion attempt which would then put Nassif’s mind at ease, and deter him from paying $5 million to unnamed third party. Chandler insisted Maheswaran go to the police if Toplace had any such evidence.