Fentanyl case pushed back to April

A preliminary hearing for three men accused of selling fentanyllaced cocaine allegedly linked to fatal overdoses in Saskatoon was adjourned to April after the defence argued more time is needed to review a large amount of late disclosure.

Japmanjot Grewal, 22, Shervin Dass Beeharry, 20, and Azam Kabani, 20, were in Saskatoon provincial court on Wednesday, when their two-day preliminary hearing was scheduled to begin.

The men are charged with trafficking fentanyl, cocaine and heroin over the weekend of March 10 and 11, when three people died from fentanyl overdoses in Saskatoon.

A man and a woman were found dead on the same day, but in different homes, and a third woman died in hospital days later. Five other people were either treated with Naloxone or treated at hospital, according to police.

Grewal and Beeharry are in custody after being denied bail. Kabani was released on $7,500 bail.

On Wednesday, the Crown said it was ready to proceed with a “paper” preliminary inquiry: An expedited process that relies more on documents than witnesses. Preliminary hearings often run much like a trial and determine if a case has enough evidence to actually proceed to trial.

Judge Brent Klause agreed to move the hearing to April — the earliest time the three defence lawyers, the Crown and the court are available.

He noted the massive amount of disclosure is because the case doesn’t just involve drug trafficking allegations, but also a Major Crimes investigation into the overdose deaths

Police indicated in March that manslaughter charges were being considered in connection with the deaths.

So far, none have been laid.