ICTA filed a police complaint against Harish Boodhoo

On Friday, August 12, the Information and Communication Authority (ICTA) filed a police complaint against Harish Boodhoo for making serious allegations on a Facebook page.

The allegedly highly defamatory remarks are against Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam. ICTA chairman Trilock Dwarka confirmed the information to The Independent Daily on Monday. “ICTA officers carry out routine checks and, when one post is considered to be in breach of the law, we refer the case to the police for investigation and further action,” explained Dwarka, who also chairs the National Cyber Crime Prevention Committee.

In his post, Boodhoo has made serious allegations not only on the public life of the Prime Minister but also on his private life. He has accused the PM of, amongst other things, wife beating under the influence of alcohol, adultery and assault (knifing a woman – not his spouse).

When contacted by The Independent Daily at the time of going to press, Boodhoo acknowledged that he was the author of the page. He even took pride in its success. “So far over 20,000 people have read it and readership is soaring at the rate of four per minute,” he said.

“It all sounds fictitious, straight from a story in poor taste,” said a police superintendent who prefers anonymity, adding, “The police has never received any of the complaints from any of the alleged victims. It’s all hearsay coming from a politician.”

Boodhoo had ditched the Labour Party in 1982 and joined hands with Paul Bérenger to become deputy prime minister in 1982. Boodhoo also alleges that Ramgoolam’s bungalow at Roche Noire was burgled before the PM left for Botswana, by a gang who ‘abused’ him and stole his Rolex watch.

The PM must have read the Facebook post because during his press conference on Sunday, in reply to a question on the alleged Roche Noire episode, he undid his left hand cufflink, slightly rolled up the sleeve and showed the watch to the press.

“As you can see I still have my watch. You can’t find a second of its kind in Mauritius,” he said.

The Independent confirmed from a high-end shop that Rolex does make personally customised watches.