The events most central to the case allegedly occurred on March 20, 2014 when Pullano says he attended the Ontario Newmarket-Aurora PC’s acclamation meeting for Jane Twinney at the Mansion Banquet Hall in Aurora.

Pullano says he was standing near the bar, when Hinder, whom he says he knew from “political circles”, walked up to him.

He alleges that Hinder said in an angry voice — “And who are you supporting tonight?"

Following this, Pullano says, Hinder punched him in the chest with a “right-handed closed fist” before walking away.

Pullano says he confronted Hinder following the incident and was given a business card by Hinder and told to “just call” him.

Pullano told yorkregion.com that he believes the alleged incident was in relation to him attending Liberal candidate Chris Ballard’s event the night before.

The following morning, Pullano went to Southlake Regional Health Centre's ICD heart rhythm clinic and the doctor noted redness around his ICD (implantable cardioverter defibrillator), a device planted in the chest to treat irregular heartbeat.

By June, his ICD was “popping out of his chest” and infected, says Pullano.

He believes the symptoms are related to the alleged punch.

He has since had his ICD replaced three times, but contends the first surgery, which left him in hospital for 10 days, to be related to the alleged punch.

Another former council candidate, Wanda Cena, testified at one hearing as part of the pre-enquete that she was in attendance at the banquet hall and observed Hinder “strike (Pullano) in the chest hard enough for Pullano to step backwards approximately two steps.”

She added that she later saw Pullano “twitching and grimacing”, something she believed to be related to the pain he was experiencing, the court transcript says.

Hinder is scheduled to appear before the court on April 10.