Judicial Review Demand in ‘Stag Party’ Case: PM Exonerated

The Supreme Court examined the judicial review request filed by pandit Vivek Pursun yesterday, October 14. The hearing was presided over by judges Karuna Gunesh-Balaghee and Denis Mootoo. This legal action aims to challenge the inaction of the police and the Financial Crimes Commission (FCC) regarding a potential involvement of Attorney General Maneesh Gobin in the ‘Black Label and Stag Party’ affair.

Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth, who was cited as a concerned party, sought to be exonerated from any allegations.

He argued that his involvement could not be substantiated based solely on media reports or his responses in the National Assembly.

His attorney, Senior Counsel Mᵉ Désiré Basset, emphasized that the Prime Minister only gives general directives to the police and does not interfere in specific investigations.

Furthermore, as the contested decision was not a cabinet decision but originated from the Ministry of Agro-Industry, the attorneys representing Vivek Pursun did not object to the Prime Minister’s request to be exonerated.

During the hearing, the plaintiffs submitted their legal arguments in writing.

Central to this case is the issue of locus standi concerning Vivek Pursun, which is crucial for the court to grant him the leave to apply for a judicial review.

Vivek Pursun, represented by Mᵉ Sanjeev Teeluckdharry, had filed complaints against the Commissioner of Police, the FCC, as well as the Prime Minister, the Attorney General, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), former MP Rajanah Dhaliah, and Harryduth Ramnarain, a senior official in the Registrar of Associations.

As a result of the hearing, the Prime Minister will no longer be required to respond to Vivek Pursun’s judicial action.

The pandit alleged that these authorities are turning a blind eye to Maneesh Gobin’s involvement in the lease of a 276-hectare state-owned land near Grand-Bassin, which was allocated to proxies of gang leader Jean-Hubert Celerine, also known as Franklin.

The now-defunct Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) had filed a preliminary charge of influence peddling against Rajanah Dhaliah concerning this matter, a charge that the FCC is continuing to uphold.

Despite this, neither of these agencies has taken any action against Maneesh Gobin, even amid allegations of corruption surrounding the lease of state land to Franklin’s associates.

Source: l’Express