A Mauritian district magistrate refused on 6 October 2026 to strike out the provisional conspiracy charge against Gulshan Govind.[1] Ruling in the case brought the suspected import by sea of about 156 kg of cannabis from Réunion to Mauritius, valued by the prosecution at Rs 234 million.[1] Magistrate Irfaan Mittoo sat in the district court of Rivière-Noire on the motion filed by defence lawyer Rouben Mooroongapillay.[2] Govind, arrested on 31 July, faces a provisional charge of conspiracy to import cannabis into Mauritius with an averment of trafficking.[1]
Le Mauricien reported that Mittoo accepted the prosecution’s argument that the evidence gathered so far establishes a reasonable suspicion of Govind’s involvement.[2] The court based its finding on CCTV images that police say show Govind driving a man near the Paradis Hotel on 25 July.[1] Police also said the car used, which belongs to his wife, held traces of plant material and a seed suspected to be cannabis.[3] Cannabis plants and a liquid suspected to be methadone were seized at Govind’s home.[3]
Missed by the defence: it argued over the chronology, the scope of the police evidence and inconsistencies, saying the car had been returned and Govind handed over his phone voluntarily.[1] The magistrate said the court did not have to decide at this stage whether the evidence would support a conviction, and that witness credibility and contradictions belong to a trial.[1] Mittoo told the authorities to reach a decision on the outcome of the investigation as soon as possible.[1] The investigation covers Mauritius and Réunion, and Mauritius has made a Mutual Legal Assistance request to Réunion.[3] Govind, released on bail in the separate case over the plants and methadone found at his home, stays in custody on the conspiracy charge.[1] His next court appearance was set for 21 October.[1]
