Irregularities Found in Renovation of Former FCC Director General’s Office

The Financial Crimes Commission (FCC) is embroiled in controversy following the resignation of its former director general, Navin Beekarry, on November 15. His departure came on the heels of Suresh Seebaluck’s appointment as Secretary of the Cabinet, under which he invoked Article 113 of the Constitution to compel political appointees of the ruling MSM government to vacate their positions.

Beekarry now finds himself at the center of an anonymous letter sent to our office on November 20, titled

“Everyone is denouncing MSM choices. Let us begin a movement where the FCC/ICAC has been at fault because of their decisions.”

The letter accused several associates of Beekarry, who still hold key positions within the FCC, of favoritism in the awarding of contracts.

One of the primary allegations involved fraudulent bidding related to the renovation of Beekarry’s office.

The document claimed, “The DG’s office was already chosen, the furniture as well through another MSM’s person” suggesting that there were irregularities in the selection process for office furnishings.

The Central Criminal Investigation Department (CCID) has initiated an inquiry into the renovation.

The issues date back to June 3, 2020, when an ICAC tender committee invited various companies to submit proposals for the installation of aluminum or wooden partitions.

Three companies responded: Furnicon Ltd, Panache & Co Ltd, and Micaplus Ltd.

During subsequent meetings, Furnicon’s bid, amounting to Rs 567,650, was rejected due to its high cost, while Panache’s submission was deemed non-compliant.

In contrast, Micaplus Ltd offered wooden partitions for Rs 222,000.

Initially, the tender committee recommended Micaplus Ltd for aluminum partitions at Rs 188,472, but a Supervising Officer favored their wooden partition offer instead.

Unexpectedly, the non-compliant bid from Panache & Co Ltd was ultimately accepted, and the contract was awarded for Rs 162,035.

The pertinent question now is whether the newly established Serious Fraud Unit will pursue an investigation into potential conspiracy and document forgery related to these irregularities.

The CCID had previously focused on the renovations tied to the then-Director General of the ICAC, prior to the establishment of the FCC, amid concerns over the selection of the contractor responsible for the office enhancements.

This ongoing investigation may reveal a possible plot to falsify documents, potentially implicating an executive suspected of leaking confidential information.

Since the departure of Deputy Commissioner Heman Jangi, ACP Kistnasamy Armoogum’s team has been re-examining certain cases, including this one, which initially involved a leak from the ICAC’s headquarters in Reduit Triangle.

As discussions swirl about the future of the FCC, questions arise regarding whether the agency could be dismantled in favor of creating a specialized unit within the Serious Fraud Unit under the new regime.

As of now, no official information has been released on this matter. The Police Press Office has stated that the CCID currently has no additional details concerning this investigation.

Source: l’Express