RED FM News Desk
December 23, 2025
An Ontario lawyer accused of helping facilitate an international drug trafficking operation linked to fugitive former Olympian Ryan Wedding has been granted bail as he awaits an extradition hearing.
Deepak Paradkar, 62, appeared in a downtown Toronto courtroom on Tuesday, where a judge approved his release under strict conditions. Paradkar was arrested last month as part of a sweeping FBI-led investigation that alleges Wedding ran a violent cross-border criminal organization involved in large-scale drug smuggling.
Court records allege Paradkar played a central advisory role, including offering guidance related to the killing of a federal witness, introducing Wedding to major drug traffickers operating across North America, and coordinating intelligence-gathering efforts after law enforcement seized shipments of narcotics.
Federal prosecutors strongly opposed bail, arguing Paradkar faces an “extraordinary” flight risk given the possibility of multiple life sentences if convicted in the United States. The Crown also maintained that no combination of bail conditions could adequately prevent him from maintaining contact with the alleged criminal network.
Paradkar’s defence team countered that he has no international ties, no prior criminal record, and strong community connections. His lawyer told the court the family was prepared to risk its finances as surety and emphasized that Paradkar would not jeopardize the safety of his wife and daughters by breaching court-ordered conditions.
In his decision, Superior Court Justice Peter Bawden said it was unlikely Paradkar would attempt to flee, noting that complying with bail conditions may be his best chance to protect himself and challenge the case against him.
“The most compelling reason to find that Mr. Paradkar will not flee is that it would be so clearly against his own interests,” Bawden said, adding that the prosecution’s case, while serious, relies in part on testimony from a cooperating witness.
The judge also cited Paradkar’s deteriorating health and his wife’s testimony that she would closely monitor his compliance. Paradkar was not under any court order at the time of the alleged offences.
As part of his release, Paradkar agreed to a strict bail plan that includes round-the-clock house arrest, GPS monitoring, and limited access to electronic devices only when supervised by his sureties. Justice Bawden said he was satisfied the conditions were sufficient to ensure compliance while the case proceeds.
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