The immediate former governor of the Mauritius central bank, Harvesh Seegolam, has been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud the nation, marking the first major development in an audit of public finances under the new government of Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam, Bloomberg reports.
Seegolam was apprehended upon his return to the Indian Ocean island nation from Dubai on Friday, according to a spokesman for the Mauritius Police Force. The Central Criminal Investigation Department is currently questioning Seegolam, and he is expected to appear in court on provisional charges.
Seegolam served as the central bank governor from March 2020 to November 2024. He was replaced by Rama Sithanen following the victory of the four-party Alliance du Changement in recent elections.
Police had issued a notice in mid-December, instructing airport border control to arrest Seegolam upon his arrival. Last month, Prime Minister Ramgoolam publicly criticized the central bank for establishing a unit known as the Mauritius Investment Corp. (MIC), claiming it exposed the bank to significant credit risk and potential losses.
According to defimedia.info, a local news website, police are specifically investigating MIC’s disbursement of 45 million rupees ($945,000) to a high-risk company. The website did not disclose its source for this information.
Prime Minister Ramgoolam emphasized his commitment to accountability in his recent New Year’s address.
