ICAC Operation Rosny LIVE updates: Former Toplace lawyer, Strathfield councillor Sharangan Maheswaran continues evidence

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Welcome to our live coverage

By Jessica McSweeney

Hello and welcome to another day of live coverage as the ICAC’s Operation Rosny public hearings continue.

I’m state political reporter Jessica McSweeney, and I’ll be bringing you all the latest updates as we hear from former Toplace lawyer and Strathfield Labor councillor Sharangan Maheswaran.

First, here’s a recap of what we covered yesterday:

• Private investigator Shane De Kauwe was paid by Toplace to conduct surveillance, primarily on then-police minister David Elliott and then-Strathfield mayor Matthew Blackmore at the direction of Maheswaran.
• De Kauwe did not believe allegations made by fugitive developer Jean Nassif that then-building commissioner David Chandler was part of a plot to extort him of $5 million was true, and De Kauwe reported it to police after Nassif refused to do so.
• De Kauwe investigated Elliott and several Hills Shire councillors to look for “political vulnerabilities” and ran surveillance on Elliott. The private investigator was tasked with finding the identity of a mystery woman who Maheswaran said was believed to have met Elliott in breach of COVID restrictions. His tailing of this woman included installing a camera pointed at the driveway of her unit complex.
• De Kauwe gave covert recording devices to Maheswaran and Jeremy Greenwood.
• The private investigator covertly recorded conversations between Blackmore and another former mayor Antoine Douehi at a cafe at Maheswaran’s request. Maheswaran provided him with legal advice that led De Kauwe to believe he was able to lawfully make the recordings if he suspected corrupt conduct was being discussed.