There has to be a liar somewhere. Whereas Ally Lazer is adamant that he gave a list of 225 drug traffickers to the Acting Prime Minister of that time on 2nd September 1996, Paul Bérenger, denied it in Parliament last Tuesday. This list has recently been brought up again for one simple reason: the seventh name on it is said to be that of the notary Deelchand. The head of government has asked for a new copy to be given to the authorities.

But Ally Lazer has not answered the request yet; he says he is discussing the matter with his lawyers but could soon publish the list. No 17 on this list is alleged to be a politician and the social worker accuses the head of government of not having published the list at the time since it could have been embarrassing for his party. ?He became all red as soon as he saw this name,? Ally Lazer relates.

The problem is that the famous list is still nowhere to be found. The social worker claims to have submitted the same list to the former President, Cassam Uteem. Besides, the latter admits that such a list was given to him and that it could still be at the State House although he has not yet confirmed or denied the names on the list.

One copy could be at Line Barracks since the list was also given to the former police commissioner, Raj Dayal, at the time. But no one has been able to see it yet. According to the social worker, when Raj Dayal saw Vinay Deelchand?s name, he asserted that he is an ?honest citizen.? Moreover, Ally Lazer declares that when he wanted to inform the former police commissioner of an imminent big drug transaction, Dayal said he could not see him since he had to welcome a cultural delegation. According to Ally Lazer, this delegation was led by someone whose name is on the list!

Again according to Ally Lazer, the names of Dev Hurnam, Anil Gooransingh a police sergeant, as well as a magistrate and members of parliament are also on the list.

Ally Lazer is also preparing a file, with the collaboration of a journalist and a police officer, on the ?godmother of Flic-en Flac.? She is said to be a ?trafficker benefiting from the protection of highly- placed persons.? Antoine Chetty could help confirm these allegations by giving a deposition which would link the notary Deelchand with the ?godmother.?

New victims of the Deelchand gang

The Deelchand saga seems to be never-ending. The network?s tentacles seem to be expanding and victims do not want to remain silent anymore. They all point to Agnis Properties and Vinay Deelchand, who took advantage of their credulity.

Rajen Munsami is one of the latest to decide to talk: he lost two plots of land, which belonged to his family for generations. One of Deechand?s acolytes made him sign papers telling him that it would facilitate the sale of the land. In fact, the papers were proxies. ?They contracted loans on his properties and did not repay them,? his lawyer, Pazhany Rangasamy, explains. As a result, following a sale by levy, he lost his own house.

Khooblall Quedou from Vallée des Prêtres paid Rs 350 000 to the notary Deelchand for a plot of land near Terre-Rouge and has waited for his title deed ever since. It is only recently that he discovered the real identity of his notary in the newpapers.

A man living in Plaine Verte has had more luck. After paying three quarters of the due amount to Vinay Deelchand for a plot of land at Le Hochet, he succeeded in contacting the owners of the land, who told him that another notary had taken over his file. But not everyone had the same luck. Some of the victims could have to sue the notary Deelchand in Court, which will take years.

Regarding the other aspects of the affair, the long-awaited questioning of Raj Dayal finally took place in Curepipe today. Antoine Chetty alleged that he was the accomplice of Vinay Deelchand in a plot against Nundlall. He related how the notary came to the SMF headquarters to set up the plan to place heroin in Nundlall?s house. The former police commissioner was arrested but was almost immediately freed on bail. Immediatly after his arrest, he promised to give details about what he knows of the Deelchand affair.