The former chief financial officer of Alberta Health Services says he has been vindicated by a $900,000 settlement from the province’s health authority.

“This settlement has clearly vindicated me in that I had done nothing wrong and that my dismissal was unjust,” Allaudin Merali said in a written statement sent to the media on Monday.

“I am glad that this is behind me and want to get on with my life now that I have been vindicated.”

AHS fired Merali on Aug. 1, 2012, hours before a CBC investigation revealed he had run up nearly $350,000 in expense claims, which included wine and meals at high-end restaurants between 2005 and 2008.

At the time, Merali was employed by the Capital Health Authority. The expenses were approved by the health authority’s chief executive officer.

In a statement of claim filed in March, Merali alleges AHS acted in bad faith by terminating his contract and that his improper firing made it difficult for him to find a new senior executive position.

In the claim, Merali said he was defamed by former Health Minister Fred Horne during a news conference. He also claimed that AHS was illegally denying him severance pay.

AHS announced the settlement with Merali in a news release Friday.

Horne was not available when reached for comment Tuesday.

​“AHS is satisfied that the termination of Mr.Merali’s employment is properly characterized as having been without cause,” the release stated.

Merali said the settlement covers both the amounts he was supposed to receive under his contract as well as damages.

He said the settlement shows that AHS was wrong not to honour his contract and that statements made by Horne, former premier Alison Redford and other politicians were “irresponsible and totally inappropriate.”

“AHS, the former minister and the former premier were not entitled to shred my contract and damage my reputation, by insinuating that my expenses under a former employer, Capital Health, were in anyway improper, let alone that they were a cause to terminate me,” Merali wrote.