By Gurmukh Singh

Toronto, April 9 (IANS) Indian-origin former MP Rahim Jaffer, whose acquittal for cocaine possession last month led to a political uproar in Canada, has created a fresh controversy for Prime Minister Stephen Harper by his alleged shady business dealings.

An investigative report by the Toronto Star Thursday exposed Jaffer as promising to get business deals done through his influence with the prime minister's office.

In the investigative report, the former MP, who is married to cabinet minister for woman affairs, Helena Guergis, has been exposed as promising an alleged conman Nazim Gillani to get business deals done because of his sway with the prime minister.

"Mr. Jaffer has opened up the Prime Ministers' office to us and as a result of that dinner - he today advised me that he is just as excited as we are and joining our team seems to be the next logical step," the conman said in an email to his business associates after throwing a dinner party for Jaffer in September.

According to the investigative report, Jaffer was using his minister wife's office email address to conduct his private business and still handing out his parliamentary business cards despite ceasing to be an MP.

In a quick damage-control exercise, the Canadian Prime Minister's office said: "Any accusation that the PMO has opened doors for Mr. Jaffer or his business associates is false and it is also absurd."

PMO spokesman Dimitri Soudas said, "I can tell you that the doors to the Prime Minister's Office are padlocked to anybody who wishes to peddle influence."

The ruling Conservative Party also asked Jaffer to remove its logo from his personal website which he currently uses to promote his new consulting firm Green Power Generation Corporation.

Putting the government in the dock over the issue, opposition leader Michael Ignatieff said, "These are very serious allegations that go to the heart of the integrity of the Conservative Party government. The question is, 'Who did Mr. Jaffer see in the Conservative government, what promises did Mr. Jaffer make, what did he propose to deliver to his clients?"

The opposition leader said: "Why wasn't Mr. Jaffer a registered lobbyist. We need the whole story here."

Jaffer, an Ismaili Muslim of Gujarati origin, became Canada's youngest non-white MP at the age of 25 in 1997. He served four terms till his loss in the 2008 parliamentary elections.

The 38-year-old former MP is married to 41-year-old women affairs minister Helena Guergis who herself is in the thick controversies for various reasons.