Africa-Press – Mauritius. Literally two years after the arrest of the so-called Franklin by the late Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) in a sinister case of’ import of drugs from Reunion Island, or four years and six months after the facts relating to the Black Label and Stag Party taking place in a hunting camp next to Grand Bassin and in the middle of the containment of Covid-19 former Attorney General and Secretary General of the Socialist Militant Movement (MSM), Maneesh Gobin, has been caught up in his taste for luxury.
Thus, as part of’an operation “Somey Kase”, the Financial Crimes Commission (FCC) formally convened the spokesperson of the’former Government for the crime of fraud and corruption with the lands of the’State in the Ganga Talao region, of’an area of 250.76 hectares, against the backdrop.
Upon the lifting of the’ 3, yesterday morning, the legal counsel of the’former Minister, Me Avinash Dayal had been summoned to accompany his client on the premises of the Financial Crimes Commission for a session of’examination under warning. Thus, at the end of this exercise, the one who was defended tooth and nail by the former Prime Minister, Pravind Jugnauth, went to join his former running mate of Piton/Riviere-du-Rempart (No 7), the former Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS), Rajanah Dhaliah, on the bench of the accused in this sinister case of fraud and corruption with ramifications related to drug trafficking between Reunion and Mauritius since the link in this whole case remains the named Franklin, serving a prison sentence in Reunion.
This Black Label and Stag Party case starts innocuously at the level of the’ancienne Independent Commission Against Corruption on March 3, 2023, exactly two years ago on Monday. With the’ Franklin case, whose request for’extradition submitted by France for a conviction for interisland drug trafficking slept in a drawer of the’Attorney General’s Office, the entire network behind the management of Dayot and Mangin’s leasehold land is unraveled. The so-called Shaan Kumar Poolun is suspected of S’ engaging in illegal activities on the State Land Forest of Dayot and Mangin.
In principle, this land of the’State is ogled by his company, Eco Deer Park Association. While the’ICAC investigation is just starting, the named Ajay Kumar Jeetoo was due to land at the’ICAC HQ, at the Reduced Triangle, on March 15, 2023, with damning revelations of “high-level bribe”. In his early revelations, this whistleblower had admitted to giving a “bribe”-in cash – to a high political personality to get the lease of the land. Investigators also learned that the Etwaroo family had acquired 30%’actions from RKS Deer Ranch Ltd, which operated the land for hunting, before the Eco Deer Association.
This land of the’State was at the heart of’a controversy when in 2016 a team of the’Anti-Drug and Smuggling Unit (ADSU) had landed there to destroy cannabis plants. Faced with this fact, the lease of the State Land allocated to RKS Deer Ranch Ltd had been cancelled by the’ former Minister of Agriculture, Mahen Seeruttun. Except that, despite everything, the Etwaroo were still interested in exploiting this terrain of the’ State. They had applied to the Supreme Court of’a request for the annulment of this decision of the ministry in order to recover the 250.76 hectares.
Meanwhile, Ajay Jeetoo was scheduled to meet Hurryduth Ramnarain, Senior Officer at the Registrar of Associations, in a family event where he explains the litigation to him in court. According to the information gathered by the investigators of the’ICAC of the’ time, Hurryduth Ramnarain had to come up with the project to create a new group in order to’ obtain the leasehold land. The Eco Deer Association is then set up by including former members of RKS Deer Ranch Ltd and associating new faces like the son-in-law of’ex-PPS Rajanah Dhaliah.
As part of these efforts, the’ancien Parliamentary Private Secretary was to take an active part. He even met Ajay Jeetoo at his official 10th floor office at Citadelle Mall in August 2020. The’intermediate, Hurryduth Ramnarain, was also present. According to the testimony of’one of the protagonists, the’ancien PPS Dhaliah allegedly claimed Rs 4 million in the form of “bribe” for the restitution of the leasehold land.
The politician had imposed as a condition that’il wanted « deal » only with Hurryduth Ramnarain, his trusted man in the riding Piton/Riviere-du-Rempart (No 7). He had given the guarantee that’il would make the necessary arrangements with the Ministry of’Agro-industry, which was under the responsibility of Maneesh Gobin at the time’. At the same time, the Etwaroo struggled to raise the necessary funds by selling a backhoe.
On September 12, 2020, while the Covid-19 lockdown was in full swing, it was going to be a defining date in the Black Label and Stag Party with the physical presence of former minister Maneesh Gobin’ in the Grand Bassin hunting ground camp. For some time now, Keegan Etwaroo had been called upon to hand over’argent to Ajay Jeetoo on various occasions with the assurance that the Pactol was intended for the (former) high personalities of the country.
Except that for this appointment of September 12, 2020, Keegan Etwaroo wanted to make sure that’il was not led by boat and he then introduced himself softly on this ground where this party took place. The personalities, present on this occasion and targeted, are the former PPS’ Rajanah Dhaliah, Hurryduth Ramnarain, and the’ex-Attorney General Maneesh Gobin.
In this new episode of Black Label and Stag Party with the summons of Maneesh Gobin, the Financial Crimes Commission considers that the responsibility of the latter is engaged because being the former minister of’Agro-industry, he would have gone to a ground where there is a dispute before the court where the services of his ministry are involved. Not to mention that’il would have agreed to participate in a game of “manze-bwar” on site for free by consuming grilled deer and Black Label whisky. The FCC maintains that the’ event of September 22, 2020 in the camp of this hunting ground would be a form of gratification. There are also allegations that’Ajay Jeetoo would have handed over part of the millions requested to the’ex-minister of the Agro-industry through an intermediary.
At first, on August 31, 2023,’ex-ICAC had proceeded to the arrest of’ex-PPS Rajanah Dhaliah. He had been charged under a provisional charge of “Public Officer Soliditing Bribe” and released on bail.
On the other hand, the secretary general of the MSM, Maneesh Gobin, has never been summoned by the investigators of’ICAC for the needs of investigation on this scandal even if’il was one of the main protagonists of the Black Label and Stag Party. And especially that’il was able to survive a Private Prosecution committed against him by the pandit Vivek Pursun. D’ especially since the former Prime Minister, Pravind Jugnauth, had taken his defense by pointing out, as it was the case on September 6, 2023, by telling the press : « So, there is no reason why he should resign. At the moment, we only see allegations in the media. I, J’ expect facts in front of the institutions that lead the’ investigation. »
Whereas since yesterday morning, the data would have changed in the case of the’ancien Attorney General, Maneesh Gobin….
Two deposits of Rs 500,000 for Maneesh Gobin
Maneesh Gobin was indicted on a provisional charge of Public official using office for gratuity under section 7 (1) of the Prevention of Corruption Act (PoCA). The Financial Crimes Commission (FCC) accuses him of having accepted a financial gratuity to grant a leasehold land to the’Eco Deer Park Association (EDPA) while’il was minister of’Agro-industrie.
After an under-warning’ interrogation in the morning, assisted by My Roshan Santokhee and Avineshwar Dayal, he was informed of his arrest and taken to the Port-Louis court. The FCC has not objected to his parole.
Maneesh Gobin S’ has paid two bonds of Rs 250,000 each and signed a debt acknowledgement of Rs 5 million. The magistrate Prashant Bissoon also imposed other conditions on him, namely to’have a fixed address, to’have a mobile number, not to interfere with witnesses and to remain available for the needs of the’ investigation.
As the Cash Office was closed at 15h yesterday, his lawyers asked the office of the Master & Registrar for an extension. Thus, it’is around 15:30 that the procedures were completed, and Maneesh Gobin S’is again presented in court to confirm the payment. He will return to New Court House on July 30.
The request of’another association rejected
The FCC is in possession of documents indicating that’another association had solicited the Lease of the leasehold land in the vicinity of Grand’Bassin. The applicant had submitted all the required documents and he was waiting for’a response from the Ministry of’Agro-industry.
Except that the lease was finally granted to Eco Deer Park Association. This leads the FCC bloodhounds to suspect that Maneesh Gobin would have weighed all his weight for EDPA to win the contract for a period of seven years. Asked about it, the’former minister of’Agro-industrie made it clear to the FCC that it is the Department of Wood and Foret that took care of this file.
Furthermore, the FCC is in possession of the telephone communications exchanged between the various protagonists cited in this case.
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