Meridium Services shareholder Riyaz Rasheed has threatened to file defamation suit against MPL CEO Mohamed Junaid for false claims against the company resulting in damages. He added defamation suits will also be filed against the press agencies that reported the case.
In the press conference, MPL made serious claims against Meridium. MPL claimed that Meridium had billed against undelivered goods, with additional losses of MVR 10 million per annum due to fuel supplied by Meridium. Junaid said the company needed 60,000 liters, with Meridium providing 160,000 liters.
Speaking to Avas, Vilufushi Constituency MP Riyaz Rasheedh said the claims were personally motivated and will result in significant damages for Meridium. He said this will also lessen public faith in the company.
"Ther is not one single shred of truth in Junaid's statements. No statements were sought from Meridium prior to publishing the news," Riyaz said.
Riyaz said fuel is sold under certain procedures and there was no way Meridium could have sold additional fuel. He said the deliveries were pegged against the orders. He also denied that Meridium was given the contract without bidding. Riyaz said Meridium was given the contract as they were the suppliers supplying at the lowest prices.
He said he will file suit in Civil Court for damages to the company and a separate defamation suit against Junaid, MPL and press. Riyaz said the suit against press will be filed for having failed to have taken a statement from Meridium on the issue.
"Facts were not checked in reporting the story. Meridium's statement was not sought out. I will file defamation suits against all the media agencies that reported the story," Riyaz said.
Civil Court's temporary injunction banned Maldives Ports Limited (MPL) from contracting their fuel supply needs to any company other than Meridium Services.
