Housing Development Corporation (HDC) has suspended five senior officials in connection with an ongoing investigation into alleged fraudulent land allocations under the “Binveriya” housing scheme.
The suspended officials include IT head Abdulla Shuhood, deputy IT head Mohamed Salim, chief business officer Ahmed Yameen, chief financial officer Abdulla Faaidh, and deputy director of the estate Ahmed Aiman. HDC has not provided further details regarding their alleged involvement in the case.
The action follows the Privatization and Corporatization Board’s (PCB) earlier decision to suspend all members of HDC’s board except chairman Ahmed Naasif. The suspensions came after allegations surfaced that HDC facilitated the allocation of land worth MVR 450 million to about 50 ineligible individuals, including Fazul’s brother, Mohamed Fazeel Rasheed, who is the deputy managing director of the Maldives Water and Sewerage Company (MWSC).
The Maldives Police Service and the Anti-Corruption Commission are currently investigating the allegations. Public criticism has mounted following the allegations, with protesters gathering outside HDC headquarters to demand Fazul’s arrest.
In a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, Presidential spokesperson Helena Waleed assured the public that all eligible applicants under the Binveriya scheme would receive their rightful land allocations.
The controversy deepened after a fire last week destroyed critical documents in three government ministries, including the Ministry of Housing, raising suspicions of a potential cover-up. Meanwhile, the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has called for Fazul’s immediate dismissal and urged swift action against all implicated.
No additional comments have been provided by HDC or government officials regarding the latest suspensions.