The Housing Development Corporation (HDC) has referred cases related to the Binveriya housing scheme to the police following an internal audit that uncovered irregularities in land allocations.
In a statement, HDC said the audit had revealed instances where multiple applications were submitted for building permits on the same plots of land. The company said it is investigating the matter further and has taken necessary steps to address the issue.
The controversy stems from concerns raised last December, when it emerged that boundary walls were being built on a plot of land allegedly claimed by Mohamed Fazeel Rasheed, the brother of former HDC Managing Director Ibrahim Fazul Rasheed. The Housing Ministry had previously informed HDC that Fazeel was not a recipient under the Binveriya scheme. Following these developments, Fazul resigned from his position, and members of HDC’s Board were also suspended.
HDC has since acknowledged that some instances involved forged documents being submitted during the application process. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is also investigating allegations that land was allocated to individuals who were not on the Binveriya recipient list.
Last November, the Housing Ministry assigned HDC to oversee the placement of boundary markers for Binveriya land recipients in Hulhumale’. Property owners are required to obtain permits from HDC before constructing boundary walls.
The police have reported that at least three plots of land were obtained using invalid documents, with six individuals submitting applications for the same plots. While the exact number of affected plots has not been disclosed, HDC has committed to taking further action to ensure integrity in its operations.
