Former Mauritian PM Jugnauth arrested in money laundering investigation

By Kamlesh Bhuckory 

Former Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth has been arrested and is being held in custody on an allegation of money laundering, according to his lawyer. 

Jugnauth denies the allegation, lawyer Raouf Gulbul said in an interview posted on defimedia.info’s Facebook page. The former premier is being held as part of a Financial Crimes Commission investigation, the news website reported.

 

The ex-premier is the second high-profile member of the previous regime to be arrested and detained since the new government won elections in November by a landslide. Former Bank of Mauritius Governor Harvesh Seegolam was held last month when he returned to the Indian Ocean island nation from Dubai. He was granted bail after a provisional charge of conspiracy to defraud was lodged in court.

 

The government, led by Premier Navinchandra Ramgoolam, is critical of the Jugnauth administration’s handling of the economy and said that economic data was inaccurate. Growth forecasts have been reviewed downwards and the budget deficit is almost twice what was estimated, according to a document tabled in December.