HDC MD Mauroof resigns after half-a-year on the job

Housing Development Corporation (HDC)’s managing director Mohamed Mauroof Jameel tendered his resignation on Wednesday, half-a-year after he was appointed to steer the corporation out of a corruption scandal.

Mauroof, who had served as construction minister in former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s administration and played a key role in establishing HDC, was appointed as the managing director of the corporation on December 22, 2024.

Earlier in July, Mauroof confided in several senior officials from HDC that he plans to retire.

But a spokesperson from HDC confirmed to Sun on Wednesday that Mauroof had not retired, but had in fact resigned.

The spokesperson did not immediately respond to queries regarding why Mauroof, who planned on retiring, chose to abruptly resign.

Mauroof was not immediately available for comment either.

The news of Mauroof’s plans to retire broke on mainstream media on July 7. In an interview to PSM the same day, Mauroof said that hadn’t assumed leadership of HDC with the intention of remaining on the job for a long time, but because he has “interest and the desire to achieve certain goals.”

He added that he wishes to continue to serve the community of Hulhumale’ in an advisory role even after retirement.

The appointment of Mauroof, an architect and independent researcher on the architectural heritage of the Maldives, as the head of HDC had come with the corporation embroiled in allegations of corruption in the award of housing, including land and apartments from Hulhumale’.

The scandal led to the dismissal of Mauroof's predecessor Ibrahim Fazul Rasheed.

A flurry of documents leaked on social media in December 2024 appeared to show that multiple people were given land from Hulhumale’ under the ‘Binveriya’ scheme despite not being on the list of recipients released in 2023 during the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) administration.

This included Fazul’s older brother Mohamed Fazeel Rasheed, who was later dismissed from his position as deputy managing director of Male’ Water and Sewerage Company (MWSC).

The case is the subject of a criminal investigation by both the police and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).