A police probe of a disputed Progressive Conservative nomination contest is now a criminal investigation into allegations of fraud.

Hamilton Police detectives are investigating unnamed Conservative officials in connection with the Tories’ May 7 candidate election in the riding of Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas.

Vikram Singh, a Hamilton lawyer and runner-up in the four-contestant nomination, filed a complaint with police last summer after he launched a civil action against the party alleging “wrongful insertion of false ballots.”

The criminal probe is separate from Singh’s ongoing civil litigation that named Ontario Conservative Leader Patrick Brown, party president Rick Dykstra, PC executive director Bob Stanley, and senior Brown aide Logan Bugeja.

Const. Lorraine Edwards confirmed Thursday that the criminal investigation is proceeding.

“We can expect this to take several months,” said Edwards.

Peter Brauti, the lawyer representing the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, said “we’ve provided full cooperation” and stressed that Brown is not subject to the criminal probe.

“As far as I know, they’re not looking at the leader; they’re not looking at the party. They are looking into whether individuals conducted themselves appropriately during the … physical election,” he said.

“They’ve made no promises as to when they would finish, but it was hopeful they would finish sometime this year,” he said.

Dykstra said the Tories have improved their candidate selection practices in the wake of the Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas debacle.

“Following our nomination in Hamilton, concerns were raised about the nomination contest. The leader brought in PricewaterhouseCoopers and a new process for nominations,” Dykstra said.

“We have been providing assistance in regard to the investigation. We will continue to remain open and transparent should there be any further requests.”

Singh’s lawyer Richard Macklin expressed satisfaction that the criminal probe is proceeding.

“My client looks forward to a thorough investigation in what he feels is a matter of significant public importance,” said Macklin.

If any charges were laid before the June 7, 2018 election, the political fallout could be significant. But the stakes are also high for those being investigated — a fraud conviction can carry a sentence of 14 years in prison in Canada.

Tory sources said documents have been provided to the police, including text messages, emails, and a ballot box used at the nomination meeting.

Even though the party traditionally destroys ballots a week after a candidate election is held, insiders said that did not happen in Hamilton.

According to documents filed by Singh with the Ontario Court of Justice for his civil suit, the May 7 nomination won by Ben Levitt was fraught with irregularities. The allegations have not been proven in court.

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Jeff Peller, another runner-up in the May 7 vote, who is not part of Singh’s suit, withdrew a separate court application against the Tories on Oct. 20.

There have been at least seven contentious PC nominations this year, including a May 6 nomination in Ottawa West-Nepean, where winner Karma Macgregor received 15 votes more over runner-up Jeremy Roberts in an election where there were 28 more ballots in the boxes than voters who had registered.

Roberts’ appeal of that result was rejected by the party executive.