HDC chief, board members suspended over land allocation
The incident has led to widespread discussions on social media, with accusations of corruption directed at Fazul.
Privatisation and Corporatisation Board (PCB) on Thursday suspended Housing Development Corporation (HDC) Managing Director Ibrahim Fazul and all board members, except Chairman Ahmed Nasif, amid allegations of misconduct in the allocation of land under the Binveriya scheme to Fazul’s brother, Mohamed Fazeel Rasheed, in Hulhumale despite not being listed as a scheme beneficiary.
In a statement, the PCB announced its decision to fully cooperate with the ongoing police investigation into the matter.
“The company’s Managing Director Ibrahim Fazul Rashid has also been suspended from office until further notice,” the statement said.
The current HDC board members, excluding Nasif and Fazul, include:
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Azhar Abdulla Saeed
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Ibrahim Yousuf Fulhu
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Mohamed Visham
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Ula Mohamed Rasheed
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Arif Abdul Samad
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Mohamed Naajil
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Mohamed Wahid
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Fatimath Mizna Ali
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Yousuf Waheed
The issue surfaced when documents were leaked by a social media account, alleging irregularities in the allocation of land in the second phase of Hulhumale.
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Two individuals claimed ownership of the same plot of land in Hulhumale and applied for permission to build a wall.
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HDC Deputy Director Ahmed Aiman signed a letter in July requesting the Housing Ministry to verify the rightful owner of the plot.
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The housing ministry responded on August 15, stating that neither claimant was listed as a beneficiary under the Binveriya scheme.
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The leaked documents also suggest that Mohamed Fazeel Rasheed obtained land through forged agreements.
Police visited the HDC headquarters as part of the investigation. Fazul later held a press conference, where he addressed the allegations and provided details about the internal processes.
Fazul claimed that HDC first identified the issue and took steps to verify the legitimacy of the documents by contacting the housing ministry. He acknowledged being aware of all stages of the process but refrained from addressing several questions raised by journalists.
The incident has led to widespread discussions on social media, with accusations of corruption directed at Fazul.
