Mubita Nawa, the top candidate for the Interpol chief post, is accused of kidnapping and extortion of two Indian businessmen. She is accused of kidnapping and extortion linked to a £105 million court case involving Vinod and Udit Sadhu.
As reported by the Independent, lawyers for businessmen Vinod and Udit have written to Interpol alleging that Nava was involved in their abduction and extortion in September 2022.
Nawa, who is currently Deputy Commissioner of Police in Zambia, is one of four candidates shortlisted for the position of Interpol Secretary General, supported by African Union member countries.
Sadhu, the owner of Sun Pharmaceuticals, was fined £105 million by Zambia’s Supreme Court in 2022 for overpayment on loans, but he has yet to receive payment from the government. Since then, he claims he has been subjected to “extreme and illegal pressure” not to pay by people, including Nawa and his associates, who are close to the administration.
The sadhus have now initiated legal proceedings against those involved in the 2022 incident, in which Nava will be a key witness.
According to the letter from the UK-based Leveretts Group, the sadhus were attacked by men posing as police officers. They say they were threatened and coerced, claiming they were “put into an unmarked van and then driven to a private residence.” One of the hostages raised an alarm from a hidden mobile phone.
He was later transferred to a police station, where he alleges that Mubita Nawa, then deputy director of the Zambian Criminal Investigation Department (CID), participated in his abuse. The letter describes the involvement of “new kidnappers, attackers and extortionists, including Nawa”.
Zambian police have denied “malicious allegations” levelled by lawyers representing the sadhus. They said the sadhus are suspects in a fraud investigation and accused them of illegally changing the ownership structure of Sun Pharmaceuticals.
The police chief also denied the allegations against Mubita Nawa, saying they were false and aimed at damaging her reputation ahead of the general elections for the Interpol Secretary General.