Pravind Jugnauth, the former Prime Minister of Mauritius from 2017 to 2024, was arrested on Sunday in connection with a money-laundering investigation. Jugnauth, a member of one of the island nation’s powerful political dynasties, was detained along with his wife, Kobita Jugnauth, on Saturday.
Police sources revealed that they questioned the couple for several hours before releasing Kobita Jugnauth. Pravind was placed under formal arrest in the early hours of Sunday morning. His lawyer, Raouf Gulbul, stated that the ex-premier denied the allegations and provided his version of events. Jugnauth is expected to appear before a judge later in the day.
The investigation, led by Mauritius’s Financial Crimes Commission, involved raids at the homes of several suspects, including individuals linked to local leisure and real estate businesses. Authorities seized luxury watches, cash in various currencies, and documents bearing the Jugnauth family’s names. Suitcases full of cash were also discovered during the operation.
The Financial Crimes Commission had previously issued a notice requesting that the Jugnauths and two other suspects be detained if they attempted to leave the country, as part of the ongoing money-laundering investigation.
Pravind Jugnauth served as Prime Minister for seven years and was instrumental in securing a historic agreement with Britain to regain sovereignty over the Chagos Islands. However, following a significant electoral defeat in November, Jugnauth stepped down and handed the reins over to his centre-left rival, Navin Ramgoolam. Ramgoolam’s new government reopened negotiations concerning the Chagos Islands, with reports suggesting the country seeks better financial compensation and terms related to the UK-US military base on Diego Garcia.
Despite the political setbacks, Jugnauth’s arrest marks a significant development for the political landscape of Mauritius, an island nation known for its relative stability and economic prosperity since gaining independence in 1968.