Mauritius · Politics
A Rs 30 billion fuel deal from 2023 is still under investigation, and a former minister is reported to have returned to questioning.
Former Commerce Minister Soodesh Callichurn is reported to have given a further statement to Mauritius’s Financial Crimes Commission (FCC, the anti-corruption agency) on Tuesday 10 November 2026. We could not confirm this, because we found only one report, with no statement from him or the FCC.
The FCC is investigating a 2023 fuel supply contract worth about Rs 30 billion (Mauritian rupees, about US$640 million at about 47 rupees per US$). Callichurn and former Finance Minister Renganaden Padayachy were arrested in June and are presumed innocent.
Key Facts
- Who Soodesh Callichurn, Mauritius’s former Commerce Minister, who is presumed innocent.
- What A 2023 fuel supply contract worth about US$640 million.
- Charge A provisional charge of a public official using his office for gratification for another person.
- Latest A further FCC statement on 10 November is reported but not confirmed.
- Open No court date, new charge or end date for the investigation is known.
What Happened So Far
The FCC is examining how the State Trading Corporation (STC, the state body that buys fuel for the island) awarded a 2023 fuel supply contract. The supplier was a subsidiary of the Mercantile & Maritime Group (MMG, a shipping and trading group).
The FCC arrested Callichurn and Padayachy on the evening of Tuesday 16 June 2026. They appeared at the district court of Port Louis on Wednesday 17 June 2026 and were released on bail.
They face a provisional charge of a public official using his office for gratification for another person, under section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, Mauritius’s anti-bribery law. Both are presumed innocent.
Callichurn was questioned again at the FCC’s headquarters at Réduit Triangle, on Wednesday 15 July 2026, accompanied by his lawyer Roshan Santokhee. Investigators are reconstructing the decision-making behind the award, the payment conditions and the role of public institutions.
A former director of MMG’s Mauritian subsidiary and a former director general of the STC have also been arrested. In late July 2026 the FCC questioned former Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth and former Attorney General Maneesh Gobin.
Gobin was summoned on Monday 27 July 2026. Former minister Alan Ganoo said after leaving the FCC that neither of his two portfolios had anything to do with awarding the contract.
Why It Matters
Mauritius relies on imported fuel, and the STC’s contracts shape how the island secures fuel. The contract is estimated at about Rs 30 billion (about US$640 million) and was awarded in 2023.
Our guides to Mauritius politics key players and Mauritius economy key players explain who holds which office. A former prime minister and several former ministers have been questioned in the same case.
The facts we have show no direct US link. The case matters mainly in Mauritius.
What to Watch Next
No court date or new charge has been announced. We found no confirmed date for further questioning.
Fuel is one input into prices on the island, which we track in our Mauritius inflation report for October 2026. Nothing else is scheduled that we can confirm.
What Is Not Known
It is not known what Callichurn told investigators, or whether the reported session on Tuesday 10 November 2026 took place as described. The report gave no length for it and no statement from him or the FCC.
The FCC has issued no public statement on this session. It is also unknown whether new charges or a court date will follow, or when the investigation will end.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the FCC investigating in Mauritius?
The FCC is investigating the 2023 award of a fuel supply contract by the State Trading Corporation to a subsidiary of the Mercantile & Maritime Group. The contract is estimated at about Rs 30 billion (about US$640 million).
Who has been arrested in the fuel contract case?
Former ministers Soodesh Callichurn and Renganaden Padayachy were arrested on Tuesday 16 June 2026 and released on bail the next day. A former director of MMG’s Mauritian subsidiary and a former STC director general were also arrested.
Has Callichurn been convicted of anything?
No. He faces a provisional charge under section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and is presumed innocent.
Did Callichurn give a new statement on 10 November?
One report says he gave a further statement to the FCC on Tuesday 10 November 2026. We could not confirm it, and neither he nor the FCC has commented.
Sources: Financial Crimes Commission of Mauritius; District Court of Port Louis, hearing of 17 June 2026; Prevention of Corruption Act, section 7.
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