Police investigate family's concerns raised regarding Hashim's death, Jaleel denies forgery allegations

Maldives Police Service announced today that they are revisiting concerns raised by the family of businessman Hashim Mohamed, who was found dead, after previously concluding their investigation into his sudden death.

Hashim, who is originally from Haa Alif atoll's Hoarafushi island was found dead on 2nd January 2022 in his Malé residence. At the time, police investigated the case due to the suspicious circumstances surrounding his death. However, the authorities later concluded no foul play was involved.

Two years after Hashim's death, the case has now resurfaced after his family came out with accusations against Deputy Minister of Islamic Affairs Abdul Jaleel Ismail. They allege Jaleel forged documents relating to Hashim's businesses; a matter now the subject of a police investigation.

However, Jaleel denies these allegations.

When asked about the family's accusations that Jaleel has forcibly taken over Hashim's businesses, Jaleel told "Mihaaru" that he runs his own businesses and that it has nothing to do with Hashim.

He clarified that he leased some of the locations where Hashim ran his business that were being let go of, but that the goods sold from those locations were brought in by him.

He also maintained that although police are looking into a case of forgery, he is not involved in that at all.

According to him, the forgery case is related to a letter allegedly sent by Hashim's son to the landlord of the 'Gaakoshi' space previously leased by Hashim to run one of his businesses.

"The allegations of forgery are not related to me. [It has] nothing to do with me," Jaleel said.

He went on to say that the letter had the company seal, was signed by Hashim's son and was hand delivered to the landlord by the son himself. Based on this, Jaleel alleges it was the son who committed forgery.

"The complaint of a forged letter concerns a letter written and signed by Hashim's son, stamped with his company seal, and hand delivered to the landlord. It was hand delivered to the landlord by his child. Police have even questioned the landlord. The landlord has given a statement claiming it wasn't a forged letter and that it was delivered by the child," Jaleel said.

"I was attributed by the media saying I submitted forged documents, when the matter is like this. It is a concern," Jaleel further added.

This comes as Jaleel was recently confronted by Hashim's family inside a shop. In response to the incident, Jaleel accused the family of premeditating their trip to the shop and bringing media to the scene with claims that he did not have an agreement for the shop space.

He also accuses the family of damaging his property while there.

Jaleel also denied the allegations of Hashim's family that he is running Hashim's businesses under a different name. He maintains that he did not purchase Hashim's businesses, but that he only leased the spaces previously leased by Hashim when the spaces became available.

"[I] didn't purchase the businesses. My businesses are independent of Hashim and have nothing to do with him. I run my business there. I run my business with goods I purchased with my own money. Only one place is an exception. That's a place in Gaakoshi invested by a Pakistani individual. I entered into business with [the Pakistani] with a legal bond," he explained.

However, according to Hashim's family, Jaleel colluded with a foreign worker who was in the same business.

Jaleel responded to these allegations as well, explaining that the foreign individual was brought into the country by him and that even before the person worked for Hashim, he had a relationship with the foreign individual.

Hashim's businesses were first run by Hashim, and later under the supervision of his next of kin, with the advice of said foreign individual.

According to Jaleel, he only became aware of the shop space becoming available when the foreign individual alerted him to it.

Even at the time of Hashim's death, Police did not link Jaleel to the case at all.

Police media officials said Hashim's phone was take into police custody during the investigation into his death, but that it was later returned after necessary information was obtained. The agency also confirmed no other electronics were confiscated at the time.

The officials also clarified that they are looking into the concerns raised by the family, and not reopening the investigation.

"The case is not being re-investigated. However, if it is deemed necessary to re-investigate after looking into the concerns, it will happen," the official said.

A person who knew Hashim told Mihaaru earlier that he likely died of a head injury, and that he also had other wounds on his body.

While he was found dead in his apartment, his family reported that he shared the space with the expatriate workers he hired to work in some of his shops.

The person who spoke with Mihaaru at the time also said that the workers told that Hashim has said he would go to the hospital by himself, when he got the head injury. This also raised questions at the time.

"We're not sure if it was Hashim or one of the workers who reported it," the person said.

As the conflict between Jaleel and Hashim's family boils over, police advised both parties to resolve the matter via Civil Court. However, Police are still investigating the recent complaints raised by Hashim's family.