Akram denies issuing land titles out of regulations

Former State Minister of Housing Akram Kamaluddin has said that no documents were issued to anyone outside of the 'Binveriyaa' and 'Gedhoruveriyaa' scheme regulations.

His statement is linked to the recent scandal involving Housing Development Corporation (HDC) Managing Director Fazul Rasheed's brother, Maldives Water and Sewerage Company (MWSC) Deputy Managing Director Fazeel Rasheed. Fazeel allegedly submitted a land title from the Binveriyaa scheme to HDC, despite being ineligible for the allocation, and built the outside wall of the plot.

Since the issue came to light, Police have launched a case of forgery into the matter.

Fazeel told in the investigation that he was given the letter by the previous government and that he even met the then Housing Ministry's State Minister Akram Kamaluddin regarding the matter.

However, Akram also denied meeting Fazeel. Akram said if he had met Fazeel, it would be recorded with meeting minutes. Akram also said that there is nothing he did in his capacity as a government official that he cannot answer or account for.

Akram told a news conference today that no such document had been issued outside the regulations and there would be no way to issue such a document through the system either.

While Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and Police investigate the Gedhoruveriyaa and Binveriyaa schemes, Akram's passport has also been seized for the purses of the investigation.

The issues came to light when Fazeel applied to HDC for permission to build a wall around the plot, along with the registry that claimed he had received the land, despite it being determined that he was not previously included in the list of land recipients.

Fazeel applied for the permit on 30th June. Following the application, HDC sent the registration to the Housing Ministry for verification, which is standard protocol. Since another individual had applied for permission to build a wall around their plot as well, that registration was also sent for clearance through the Housing Ministry.

The other individual has been identified as Abdul Majeed Mahir. Although only Malé people were supposed to get lands from the Binveriyaa scheme, Mahir is from HA. Dhidhhoo.

The Housing Ministry responded to HDC's letter on August 15 this year saying that the two individuals were not included in the Binveriyaa scheme's list and confirmed that the two plots had not been allocated to anyone.

Five months after the Housing Ministry responded, the documents went viral on social media and police launched an investigation. HDC's Managing Director Fazul and the board have also been suspended for the investigation. Fazeel is also under suspension while the forgery case is being investigated.

Both Fazul and Fazeel's passports have been seized as well.