HDC denies allegation of unlawful plot sale

The Housing Development Corporation (HDC) on Saturday has denied allegations that the corporation unlawfully sold plots from Hulhumale’.

The corporation in a statement issued on Saturday said, that the plots from Hulhumale’ were sold through standard procedure after announcing their sale and opening them for bidding. HDC said the first stage involves submission of Expression of Interest (EOI) for the interested plots, and bidding will be open only to those who submit EOI.

HDC said the plots are awarded to the highest bidder at the time the bidding window closes.

The corporation added that EOIs must be submitted not lower than the base rates for the plots, which are endorsed by the HDC board.

HDC shared details of three plots it sold under the same procedure in the statement, which included the lot number, date of EOI submission, plot size, base rate of the plot, last bid date, winning bid, and the recipient.

The corporation urged against spreading misinformation about the plots it sold to buyers through legitimate procedures.

The allegations have come in the heels of HDC mired in corruption allegations related to ‘Binveriya’ housing scheme. The corporation allegedly awarded plots under the ‘Binveriya’ scheme to individuals who were not among the recipients, including Mohamed Fazeel Rasheed, the elder brother of HDC Managing Director Ibrahim Fazul Rasheed.

Leaked documents show Fazeel has a land registry for the plot, signed by the Housing Ministry’s Director General Ahmed Vishan Naseem dated September 11, 2023 while boundary walls of this plot have already been erected.

In a press conference held on last Thursday evening – as angry protesters surrounded HDC headquarters in Hulhumale’ – Fazul denied the allegations against corruption, insiting that HDC has no involvement in issuing plots under the social housing scheme.

Not long after these allegations, HDC faced fresh corruption allegations on Saturday, with leaked documents appearing to show that multiple individuals were issued apartments from Vinares based on fake payment slips to SeaLife Global after it was decided to compensate victims of the SeaLife scam with the apartments.

Both the Maldives Police Service and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) have launched investigation into the matter.

Meanwhile, Fazul on Saturday announced his formal resignation as HDC Managing Director to cooperate with the investigation.