MWSC Deputy Managing Director Suspended Amid HDC Investigation
Mohamed Fazeel Rasheed, Deputy Managing Director of Malé Water and Sewerage Company (MWSC), was suspended today following allegations of using a falsified agreement under the Binveriyaa housing scheme to claim ownership of a plot of land in Hulhumalé.
Fazeel had applied for building permits in July to constructa boundary wall on the plots by submitting an application to the Housing Development Corporation (HDC), which is headed by his younger brother, Ibrahim Fazul Rasheed.
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އެޗް.ޑީސީ އާއި ގުޅޭގޮތުން މޯލްޑިވްސް ޕޮލިސް ސަރވިސަސް އިން ކުރިޔަށް ގެންދާ ތަހުޤީޤަށް ފުރިހަމަޔަށް އެހީތެރިވުމުގެ ގޮތުން މިކުންފުނީގެ ޑީ.އެމް.ޑީ މުޙައްމަދު ފަޒީލް ރަޝީދު މިއަދުން ފެށިގެން ހުރިހާ ޒިންމާ ތަކަކުން ވަކިކޮށް އޮފީހަށް ނުނިކުމެވޭ ގޮތަށް ސަސްޕެންޑް ކުރެވިފައެވެ.— Male’ Water and Sewerage Company Pvt. Ltd. (@MWSC_Official) December 19, 2024
The controversy emerged after documents were leaked on social media yesterday, revealing the forged Binveriyaa scheme agreement and correspondence between HDC and the Ministry of Housing, Land, and Urban Development. The documents pertain to land claims made by Fazeel and another individual, Abdul Majeed Mahir. Neither Fazeel nor Mahir appear on the official recipients’ list of the Binveriyaa scheme published in 2023 during the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) administration.
Fazeel’s suspension comes in the wake of a broader fallout, which has already seen the suspension of his brother Fazul and the entire HDC board, except for Chairman Ahmed Nasif. Authorities have confirmed that a criminal investigation into the matter is underway.
The leaked documents include a letter from HDC to the Ministry of Housing, dated 24 July, seeking clarification on the ownership of Hulhumale’ lot number 20768. HDC had received applications from two individuals, one of whom was Fazeel, both claiming to have received the plot under the ‘Binveriya’ scheme and requesting permission to build boundary walls.
While Fazeel was listed as an applicant in the final list of ‘Binveriya’ recipients published in August 2023, he was deemed ineligible, as he had already been allocated housing under a different social housing scheme. However, leaked documents appear to show Fazeel holding a land registry for lot 20768, signed by Housing Ministry Director General Ahmed Vishan Naseem and dated 11 September 2023.
In a press conference last evening, amid protests outside the HDC headquarters in Hulhumale’, Ibrahim Fazul Rasheed denied the allegations, insisting that HDC had no involvement in the allocation of plots under the ‘Binveriya’ scheme. He dismissed the connection with his brother as a “coincidence” and denied any conflict of interest.
The police are now conducting a criminal investigation into the allegations, with officers seen raiding HDC’s headquarters last evening, just hours after the allegations were reported in the media.
