Police have seized the phone of MWSC's Deputy Managing Director Mohamed Fazeel Rasheed, who was suspended on suspicion of submitting a fraudulent document claiming to have received land through the Binveriya Scheme.

Police said today that Fazeel's phone was seized under a court order in connection with the ongoing investigation into the Binveriya Scheme case.

Fazeel, whose passport has been withheld and is banned from leaving the country, was previously not included in the list of people receiving land in Hulhumale and was determined not to be eligible for land. However, on June 30, 2024, he applied for permission to build a boundary wall, claiming to have received land registration. While his application was pending, a person named Abdul Majeed Mahir from Dhidhdhoo also applied to build a boundary wall on the same plot.

Therefore, HDC sent a letter to the Housing Ministry on July 24, 2024, to determine who had actually received the land. In response, the Housing Ministry sent a letter on August 15, 2024, stating that neither of the two individuals who applied to build the boundary wall had applied for land through the Binveriya Scheme. The letter also stated that the plot in question had not been allocated to anyone by the Ministry.

As the police and Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) continue to investigate the case, Assistant Commissioner of Police Abdullah Shareef, head of the Central Investigation Command, said at a press conference that Fazeel claims the land registration he submitted was given to him by the previous government. However, they are currently verifying whether it is an authentic document.

"Fazeel was an applicant for land. He was removed from the list as he did not meet the criteria. He took this complaint to meet with Akram. He submitted the complaint after meeting Akram. Fazeel provides information that he met Akram for this purpose," Shareef said.