Police respond to RaajjeTV report alleging investigation into missing Ras Male' project documents!

The Maldives Police Service has issued a statement regarding an investigation into the disappearance of key documents related to the Ras Male' project, 17 hours after RaajjeTV reported that a forensic team had entered the Ministry of Construction and Infrastructure to conduct a search.

A reliable source has informed RaajjeTV that a police team entered the ministry at approximately 7:30 p.m. on Friday night. When questioned regarding the incident, a police media official stated that they had no information about such an occurrence taking place.

However, sources have confirmed that a police forensic team was active at the Ministry following reports that key documents related to the Ras Male' project are believed to be missing.

In a statement released approximately 17 hours after this news was first published, the police confirmed they attended the Ministry at around 7:18 p.m. on Friday, September 25, 2026. This followed a report from the Ministry that several lockers containing official documents had been opened in violation of established procedures.

In a statement issued by the police, it was confirmed that ministry staff, in the presence of police officers, conducted a thorough inspection of the documents and verified that no records or items were missing.

The significant delay in the police response to this incident has led many to question the validity of their official statement. Furthermore, observers have noted that if documents have indeed gone missing—particularly those concerning public interest and national security—the public has a fundamental right to know the full truth of the matter.

The government is facing intense public criticism over a lack of transparency regarding an agreement to award a significant portion of the Ras Male' project to Abu Dhabi’s Eagle Hills company. With land being leased for an extended duration under this deal, the absence of clear information regarding immediate state revenue or direct public benefits has led many to question who truly stands to gain from the transaction.

Furthermore, while the government maintains that the project will generate $11 billion for the state treasury and create 54,000 jobs, no evidence or economic impact studies have been disclosed to support these claims. Experts have also noted that the figures released by the Ministry are not backed by any detailed statistical data.

Concerns have been raised regarding the legal framework of the agreement with Eagle Hills, noting potential risks to the sovereignty of the Maldives. While the land was purportedly leased for a 99-year term, information disclosed by Eagle Hills indicates that the 99-year period resets every time a building or property on the land is sold to a third party or inherited. Legal experts characterize this arrangement as effectively granting permanent control of 5.2 million square meters of Maldivian territory to a foreign entity.

A police forensic team has conducted an investigation at the Ministry following the disappearance of key documents related to this project, an incident viewed as a matter of serious concern. Given that the missing files pertain to a major development project, the government must now disclose the potential legal and financial risks the state may face as a result.

The true cost of this project and the resulting loss to the state will only be realized once an independent audit is conducted and the final agreements are made public. However, the facts currently available indicate that significant state assets have been signed away without any compensation, while crucial evidence related to the matter has vanished from within the government. Opposition figures and the public contend that this is clear evidence that the Maldivian state and its citizens have been placed in a position of grave risk.

When RaajjeTV reached out to State Minister Ahmed Nazim Mohamed on Friday regarding the matter, he declined the call and did not respond to messages, leaving the Ministry's official comment unavailable.