Government Minister in hot water over family business scandal

A government minister is facing a civil lawsuit.. Minister for Sugar and Multi-Ethnic Affairs, Charan Jeath Singh, who holds a key portfolio, stands accused of questionable dealings involving his stakes in the well-known family businesses, Gurbachan Singh and Company Limited, and Soap and Allied Industries Fiji Limited.

One of his four brothers, Jagjeet Singh, who is a shareholder of the companies initiated the lawsuit, claiming Mr Charan had:

•  Convened an extraordinary meeting without consulting the shareholders,
• Forged Mr Jagjeet's signature on the minutes of the meeting which never took place
• Appointed his wife, Swaran Nandita Singh to be the Director of both the companies knowing well she was not a shareholder.
• Obtained a loan of $2.5 million from Westpac and $500,000 from ANZ bank without the shareholders' input or consultation Mr Charan and his wife signed a bill in favor of BSP Finance of $23,533, to buy a vehicle
• July 25, 2022, he removed the names of the shareholders from the Registrar of Companies.
• He gave false information to the Registrar of Companies saying he was the only shareholder
•  All the rentals money collected since 2012 until 2024 has not been distributed to the shareholders nor have they been consulted about the accounts.

Mr Jagjeet, represented by the principal lawyer of A.K. Singh Law, Abhay Kumar Singh, is also taking Ms Singh and the company’s lawyer, Hemendra Nagin, to court for allegedly preparing fraudulent documents for the bank in a conspiracy.

The plaintiffs are seeking to have all actions allegedly taken by the three defendants nullified.

As of Wednesday, Mr Charan has been given 28 days to respond to the lawsuit, after which the defendants will have 21 days to reply.

The hearing is set to begin on July 4, where both parties will be allowed to file and present their submissions.

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