OPP Commissioner Chris Lewis says the unlawful deletion of government emails is a serious matter that could land someone in jail for up to 14 years.

Lewis told a legislative committee Thursday that the Ontario Provincial Police investigation is ongoing regarding the deletion of emails detailing the Liberal government’s decision to scrap two controversial gas power plants at an estimated cost of up to $1.1 billion.

“I believe there could be a charge of (criminal) mischief to data by destroying data that someone else owns,” Lewis said, noting that such a charge depending on the seriousness can carry a jail term of six months to 14 years.

“So people could go to jail over this. I find that very interesting,” said Progressive Conservative MPP Lisa MacLeod, a vocal member of the justice committee.

Lewis told the committee he could not say when the anti-rackets squad’s investigation will be completed or whether charges would be laid. It was the second time Lewis has appeared before the committee.

Lewis told reporters later the investigation into the deletion of government emails is the first of its kind for the OPP.

Lewis received a complaint last June from Tory MPPs Vic Fedeli and Rob Leone alleging that emails with respect to the Liberal government’s decision to scrap plants in Mississauga and Oakville were illegally deleted.

The OPP have conducted interviews with more than 20 people — mostly senior government and bureaucratic personnel — during the investigation so far, visited Premier Kathleen Wynne’s office and executed a search warrant in Mississauga resulting in government hard drives being seized.

Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak said Ontarians should be alarmed by Lewis’s testimony.

“We need to take a pause here and think about it. The OPP is talking about how they investigated the premier of Ontario’s office about criminal activity. That’s got to tell you something right there,” said Hudak.

“That’s a big deal.”

Lewis told the committee he was reluctant to reveal too much detail for fear it “taints” the ongoing investigation.

“This is a rare case to be quite honest that I would testify anywhere during an ongoing criminal investigation,” he said.

MacLeod joked the commissioner was shackled.

‎Previously at the justice committee, it was revealed by the office of the information and privacy commissioner that emails were improperly deleted.

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‎After that Fedeli and Leone filed a complaint with Lewis, who passed it along to investigators.

Committee member New Democrat MPP Peter Tabuns said he was pleased to see the provincial police force was taking the matter seriously.

“We are looking at potential criminal charges for destruction of government records. They have executed a search warrant . . . this is disquieting,” he said.