Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is requesting information regarding its investigation into alleged graft in the Baresdhoo Integrated Resort Development Project.

Maldives Integrated Tourism Development Corporation (MITDC) had taken a total of MVR 21 million from 19 investors for the halted project.

ACC stated that investors have made advance payments to MITDC and Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC), and requested these investors provide their name and address, the date and amount of deposit, and other relevant documents before 2pm on June 13.

The Baresdhoo project proposed to develop the island for tourism by developing hotels and guesthouses with 3,000 beds and MMPRC had taken MVR 34 million from investors for the project during the previous administration and was accepting payments in MITDC’s name a year before officially handing over the project to the latter company in 2018.

Mohamed Raaid, the new managing director of MITDC, has saidthat investors’ money was misused by using MVR two million of it to finance the senior management’s trips to fairs and transferring MVR one million to the Addu Integrated Tourism Project. Another MVR 3.9 million was used to fund an unknown project named Project Palm, he said, adding that Jausa company was given an advance of MVR 15 million for the project.