Disgraced B.C. aide claims 'clear conscience'

Disgraced former B.C. government aide Dave Basi says he has a clear conscience, despite his guilty pleasto corruption charges in the BC Rail trial this week.

Basi and fellow aide Bob Virk pleaded guilty Monday in B.C. Supreme Courtto breach of trust and accepting benefits whilearranging deregulation of a plot oflandfor a real estate development near Sooke, on Vancouver Island.

Chargesrelated tothe sale of the provincial government railway were stayed.

Basi acknowledges the change of plea was difficult after years of claiming he was not guilty.

"It was very hard to agree to that. After seven years of saying you're not guilty, not guilty," Basi told CBC News on Tuesday. "But you come to the realization that this is not going to end. My son was three when this started. My daughter was eight. Now they are 15 and 10."

But he said he could still sleep at night.

CN won bid

"Deep inside, I have a clear conscience," Basi said. "I go to sleep with a clear conscience ... I wake up with a clear conscience."

Basi and Virk, both politically appointed officials, were accused of passing on government secrets around the privatization of BC Rail in exchange for cash, restaurant meals and a trip between April 2002 and December 2003.

CN won the bid, purchasing the railway for $1 billion after Canadian Pacific Railwaypulled out of the competition, saying it was obvious that CN had benefited from inside information during the bidding process.

Some charges dropped

The Basi and Virk plea bargains surfaced after a special prosecutor approached his lawyer, Basi said.

He said that with a realization the trial would go on for years, they changed their pleas and the deal was worked out.

Basi and Virk were each sentenced to two years of house arrest, which effectively limits their movements only between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. Basi was also fined $75,000.

Their legal bills, estimated to be at least $6 million, will be picked up by the Liberal government.

Charges of money-laundering laid against Basi's cousin, Aneal Basi, were stayed.