A Toronto Police officer has been charged with assault and uttering threats following a probe of old court transcripts by the province's Special Investigations Unit.

The charges stem from an incident in June 2006.

At that time, Shayne Fisher was arrested and injured after the drug squad executed a search warrant on an apartment at 1550 Lawrence Avenue West. Fisher, who is now 26, was charged along with others.

Two years later, he and his co-accused were acquitted.

News reports at the time of acquittal said Superior Court Justice Brian Trafford ruled the men were "physically abused" by police during the raid and said there were questions about the evidence presented against them.

"Important parts of the evidence tendered against the defendants, at the preliminary hearing and at trial, have been found by the court to be unreliable, likely false," Trafford wrote in his 2008 decision to acquit the accused.

The SIU reviewed trial transcripts and ruled that an officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the incident.

Det. Const. Gerrard Arulanandam is charged with:

  • Assault Causing Bodily Harm
  • Uttering Threats

The accused will appear in court on March 22.

The Special Investigations Unit is a civilian agency independent of police that examines cases involving officers and the public involving death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault.

The SIU examines whether an officer has committed a criminal offence and whether charges should be laid.