Media given leaked info on Mafia case

The Quebec government has ordered an independent investigation into information leaked to the media in the high-profile case of a retired officer alleged to have been collaborating with the Mafia.

Public Security Minister Robert Dutil said Wednesday that he wants provincial police to investigate circumstances of the Ian Davidson case and find out how the media learned about it.

The Crown prosecutor's office called for the probe announced Wednesday. It said an investigation into Davidson's activities had been underway when someone informed journalists, and said it wanted to know how that happened.

Such Crown requests are rare but, in this case, there are hints charges might be forthcoming.

"We allege ... that there were leaks of information that were privileged, sensitive and highly confidential that came out in the media and we need to know how they came out," said Jean-Pascal Boucher, a spokesman for the Crown.

"We allege that a criminal act might have been committed in divulging this information."

A recent example of such a Crown-triggered investigation was in March 2011, when the body ordered a probe into Boston Bruins defenceman Zdeno Chara for a bone-jarring hit on Montreal Canadiens Max Pacioretty. The hockey probe lasted months and resulted in no charges against Chara.

This latest case involves allegations that a Montreal police officer sold the names of police informants to the Italian Mafia.

Full Story (Castanet)