A report on why the provincial government covered $6 million in legal fees for Dave Basi and Bob Virk has been delayed until fall, CKNW reports.

Virk and Basi were Liberal political aides charged with leaking confidential documents in the $1 billion sale of BC Rail in 2003, in exchange for money and other benefits.

The seven-year case ended in 2010 with both pleading guilty to corruption charges. That prompted calls from the NDP to hold a public inquiry into why the Liberal government paid legal fees for the two.

Although the Liberals rejected an inquiry into the matter, the auditor general at the time, John Doyle, began an investigation. He went to court in to gain access to government documents, which was ultimately denied.

That happened the same month a legislative committee declined to re-appoint Doyle as auditor general, a move NDP caucus chair Shane Simpson called 'petty and vindictive'. Still, Doyle said he would deliver a report on his investigation.

According to CKNW, Doyle's report was supposed to be ready in July, but staff in the auditor's general's office are "apparently still sorting through what can and can't be included in the report,"

It's now set for release sometime this fall.

Colleen Kimmett is a senior editor at The Tyee.