Rogue developer lied in evidence, former lawyer claims

Former lawyer Sharangan Maheswaran testified at a corruption hearing that his former client Jean Nassif, a developer, had lied in his testimony before the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption. Nassif is accused of paying NSW Liberal Party operatives to influence political outcomes that benefited his interests, including harming the reputation of former minister David Elliott.

Elliott, a critic of Nassif's developments, claimed he was removed from the Liberal Party by a right-wing faction before the 2023 election. Nassif, who is wanted by NSW Police for fraud allegations, denied the allegations but admitted to paying members of the Reformers, Jeremy Greenwood and Christian Ellis, to help secure approvals for two of his developments.

Maheswaran stated that his role was to help Nassif navigate planning regulations for his projects and that he was unaware of any plot against Elliott. Elliott testified that he opposed the Toplace development due to concerns about potential defects in the properties, and Maheswaran admitted that they had discussed Elliott while working for Nassif.

However, Maheswaran denied that he was attempting to damage Elliott's career. The text exchanges between Maheswaran and Greenwood regarding Elliott were read into the commission. Maheswaran maintained that his relationship with Nassif evolved over time, with him holding various positions such as planning adviser, planning manager, and group executive, with a total value of around $1.4 million between July 2020 and March 2023.