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Jake Enwright, Scheer’s director of media relations, said this week that Bhela was never paid for his outreach work. But upon learning of his legal troubles, the party decided to end its relationship with him.

“We made the decision this individual will no longer have a volunteer role,” Enwright said.

Bhela, who described his occupation as the buying and selling of properties, first made headlines in December 2014 when the CBC reported that he and other members of B.C.’s Sikh community were quitting the federal Liberal Party.

“We think this Liberal Party’s been hijacked by the WSO,” Bhela was quoted as saying at the time, referring to the World Sikh Organization.

In late 2016, the South Asian Link newspaper reported that “well-known Indo-Canadian political mover-shaker Raj Bhela” had taken on a role as South Asian outreach coordinator for Scheer’s leadership campaign.

“I look forward to working with him to deepen my connection to B.C.’s vibrant and important South Asian community,” Scheer was quoted as saying at the time.

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Following Scheer’s victory, the Link reported that Bhela had been given an expanded role as an advisor to the Conservative Party campaign manager on the South Asian community and published an image of his new business card, featuring the Conservative Party’s logo and contact information that included the address of the party’s Ottawa headquarters.

“I’m excited to be part of (the) Conservative Party team and will continue the good work that got Andrew Scheer elected as our leader and now we must put him in the Prime Minister’s chair,” he said at the time.