Corruption Scandal: 5 Police Officers Accused of Rs 1.6 Million Extortion

Five police officers from the Northern Division’s Divisional Crime Intelligence Unit (DCIU) are at the centre of a shocking alleged extortion scandal. The officers, who were part of a team that raided the home of livestock breeder Iqbal Ramchurn in Fond-du-Sac in July 2024, are accused of threatening and extorting a whopping Rs 1.6 million from their victim.

The investigation, led by the Financial Crimes Commission (FCC), has resulted in the arrest of four officers:

Sergeant Avinash Mahadeo, 37, and constables Hutesh Seeboruth, 31, Nilesh Sooklall, 35, and Satiananda Annadurai Pillay Anamalay, 29.

The fifth officer, Sergeant Paramasiven Arnasala, 43, is currently on the run, having fled the country on Wednesday, 5 February, allegedly to accompany a family member to India for medical treatment.

According to Defi Media sources, the FCC had scheduled a meeting with Sergeant Arnasala earlier in the week, but he failed to inform them of his travel plans, raising suspicions about his intentions.

As a result, the commission has initiated proceedings to issue an arrest warrant against the erstwhile DCIU member.

The alleged extortion incident occurred on July 15, 2024, when the police officers, armed with a search warrant, discovered Rs 3.3 million at Ramchurn’s residence, which was suspected to be linked to a money laundering operation.

However, Ramchurn claimed that the officers made off with a substantial amount of cash, initially agreeing to share Rs 1 million among themselves, with each officer pocketing Rs 200,000.

Instead, they allegedly took Rs 1.6 million, leaving Ramchurn with a significant loss.

Furthermore, the officers are accused of confiscating the hard drive containing CCTV footage from Ramchurn’s home, in an apparent attempt to cover their tracks.

Ramchurn filed a complaint with the FCC on November 24, 2024, following earlier complaints submitted to the Financial Crimes Division on July 26 and 27.

The FCC’s investigation is focused on the crime of “public official using office for gratification,” and two other police officers are also under scrutiny.

Although they were summoned for questioning, they have yet to present themselves to the commission.

In a dramatic twist, Ramchurn formally identified the four arrested officers during a parade on Thursday, 5 February, confirming that they were the ones who raided his home and made off with the cash.

Despite their denials, the FCC believes it has sufficient evidence to prosecute the officers, who spent the night in detention before being presented in court on Friday, February 7, 2025.

Commenting on the case, Ibrahim Rossaye, Acting Chief Communication and Press Relations Officer of the FCC, described the allegations as “quite serious” and warned that the commission would not hesitate to take action against corrupt officials.

He emphasized that not all police officers are involved in such nefarious activities and highlighted the FCC’s efforts to educate police officers and aspirants about financial crimes.

In a stark warning to public officials, Rossaye declared, “This is the beginning of a new era at the FCC. You are being watched.”

Source: Defi Media