NDP Leader Carole James is demanding the Liberal government release more than 100 key e-mails in a case involving two former political aides.

David Basi, who worked for former finance minister Gary Collins, and Bob Virk, an assistant to former transportation minister Judith Reid, are charged with fraud, breach of trust and accepting a benefit in connection with the billion-dollar sale of B.C. Rail to Canadian National Railway in December 2003.

This week, Justice Elizabeth Bennett reviewed 140 e-mails between government officials and the premier's office, which the government has so far refused to disclose to the defence.

The judge concluded 92 of the e-mails were relevant to the case, and one spoke to the issue of guilt or innocence.

But the government invoked solicitor-client privilege, and refused to release the e-mails.

Time to come clean, says NDP leader

James accused the government of having something to hide.

"It's time for the premier to come clean," the NDP leader told CBC News on Friday.

"Surely now that the judge has said they're relevant, the government isn't going to get in the way and hide information from the court case?"

Premier Gordon Campbell must live up to his commitment to fully co-operate with the courts in the complex case, James said.

"We've been pushing him and pushing him [to release more information] for the last couple of years. We've got an opportunity here," she said.

Attorney General Wally Oppal has refused to comment as long as the case is before the courts.

The trial is scheduled to begin March 17.

It's alleged Basi and Virk accepted money for providing confidential B.C. Rail documents to a lobbyist for OmniTRAX, a Colorado-based company vying for B.C. Rail.

But the two claim they were instructed to keep OmniTRAX in the bidding to maintain the illusion of a fair process even though the government had already decided to sell to CN.

With files from The Canadian Press