CI Moonesawmy: “further arrests planned in Rajanah Dhaliah case”

Chief Investigator Poonoosamy Moonesawmy of the Financial Crimes Commission said on Thursday, June 6, 2024, that other protagonists will be arrested, including a politician, in the Rajanah Dhaliah case. According to him, this matter is serious, sensitive and complex. This was as part of the motion to strike out the provisional charge of influence peddling against the former Parliamentary Private Secretary, Rajanah Dhaliah, 59, before the Port-Louis court.

Chief Investigator (CI), Poonoosamy Moonesawmy of the Financial Crimes Commission (FCC) oversaw the investigation into this case.

Former Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) Rajanah Dhaliah calls for the dismissal of the provisional charge of influence peddling against him.

The reasons given by Me Ravi Rutnah, lawyer for former PPS Rajanah Dhaliah, are that the FFC does not have reasonable suspicion and not enough evidence against his client to maintain this provisional accusation. He also highlighted the time it takes the FCC to complete the investigation. He added that this case causes enormous damage to his client on political, social and private levels.

CI Poonoosamy Moonesawmy submitted that this matter is serious, sensitive and complex. There have been allegations of corruption and the amount involved is substantial.

Concerning the sensitivity of this matter, he maintained that important people are involved in it, including a politician.

On the subject of complexity, he noted that Rajanah Dhaliah was a Parliamentary Private Secretary and that he is very close to Hurryduth Ramnarain, who is a Principal Inspector at the Registrar of Associations. Additionally, he said, this case involves financial crime and money laundering. And that there are several requests that must be made, “Judges Orders” and telephone records.

He also said that requests must be sent to certain ministries, including the Agro-industry ministry and the police.

CI Poonoosamy Moonesawmy said twenty-seven statements have been taken, there are twenty-five witnesses and four “suspects”.

Concerning the harm that this may cause to former PPS Rajanah Dhaliah, the witness argued that the latter is on bail and that there is an interest of justice in this case.

Furthermore, CI Poonoosamy Moonesawmy maintained that this investigation began with the arrest of Jean Hubert Celerine (Franklin). Following the latter's arrest, a search was carried out on state land in Grand-Bassin.

He also returned to the involvement of Ajay Kumar Jeetoo, Shaan Kumar Choolun, the Etwaroo family and Hurryduth Ramnarain in this affair.

He claimed that Hurryduth Ramnarain offered to help as Ajay Kumar Jeetoo was facing financial problems. The strategy was to recover state land in Grand-Bassin. He also referred to a meeting which took place, in 2020, at Citadelle Mall, in Port-Louis, between Ajay Kumar Jeetoo, Hurryduth Ramnarain and former PPS Rajanah Dhaliah.

CI Poonoosamy Moonesawmy explained that former PPS Rajanah Dhaliah cooperated early in the investigation. Then, he asserted his right to silence. The witness will now be questioned by Mr. Ravi Rutnah on June 12, 2024. The request of former PPS Dhaliah is heard by magistrate Waseemah Galamali.
The FCC accuses former PPS Rajanah Dhaliah of having requested a sum of Rs 4 million from Ajay Kumar Jeetoo, in order to use his influence to facilitate the granting of a lease to The Eco Deer Park Association. It was for the granting of land in Grand-Bassin. The crime was allegedly committed in August 2020 at Citadelle Mall, in Port-Louis.