Former deputy police commissioner Uday Jaswal charged with sexual assault

Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) has charged a former Ottawa police deputy chief with sexual assault stemming from an incident that occurred while he was serving as an inspector.

Uday Jaswal is accused of sexually abusing a woman.

Jaswal resigned in disgrace in 2022 after numerous allegations of sexual harassment were made against him, including by a civilian employee of the Ottawa Police Service (OPS) who told her story to CBC in 2021.

“Jaswal was arrested today by members of the SIU and subsequently released on several conditions, including that he is not to communicate with the woman, not to come within 100 metres of the woman, not to possess any firearm, crossbow, prohibited weapon, restricted weapon, prohibited device, ammunition, prohibited ammunition or explosive substance and to surrender anything in his possession,” the police watchdog said in a press release on Tuesday.

The SIU said Ottawa police “notified the SIU of the incident on March 13, 2023 and the unit has launched an investigation.”

Accusation “factually unbelievable,” says lawyer

In a statement released on Tuesday, Jaswal’s lawyer Ari Goldkind called the allegations against his client “both opportunistic and factually implausible.”

“As far as my client is concerned, there were all kinds of people trying to shoot him, people trying to get things from him,” Goldkind later said in an interview with CBC.

The defense attorney said his team would request the earliest possible trial date.

“We are very, very optimistic that Uday Jaswal can clear his name once and for all,” Goldkind said.

In a statement on Tuesday, the OPS said it was “aware of the impact on the community and our members” and urged any other victims to come forward to police.

Jaswal is scheduled to appear in court for the first time on July 18.