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told the three trial assessors that Raj and Pal had defrauded the government not once, but twice. Between 30 December 2001 and
January 2002, the Prime Minister's Office authorized Raj to travel to India on business class tickets, Gounder said. He alleged that rather than using the money (F$ 8363)
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that Raj made early in 2004. According to a report from the
Auditor-General, Raj had chosen not to fly business class, which the government had paid for, and had opted for the cheaper economy class. Raj had allegedly pocketed the difference, instead of refunding it to the government. He had also
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declared that Raj and Pal had no case to answer and dismissed the charges. Winter ruled that there was no legal obligation for
Cabinet Ministers to travel business class, and that payment for Raj's trips were paid by the Fijian government, through the Indian government; at no time had Raj himself
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Prime
Minister Qarase accepted the resignation with regret, saying that Raj was one of his best-performing ministers. He announced that rather than replace Raj, he would take on responsibility for the Multi-Ethnic Affairs portfolio himself, pending the outcome of the police investigation. If
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that state entitlements were for the purpose of fulfilling civil service duties, and were not transferable to others. He also shared
Vatuloka's concerns that the judgement would adversely impact other court cases involving misappropriation of funds. Also on 12 September, the office of the
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obtained any money illegally or dishonestly. Winter said that Raj had acted transparently and had hidden nothing. The fact that he had voluntarily resigned from the
Cabinet and paid back the money he allegedly owed showed him to be a man of honesty and integrity, Winter said.
214:, the Prime Minister, and his constituents for standing by him. He had always known that truth would prevail, he said. He encouraged other politicians to resign as he had, should they be accused of any kind of wrongdoing, and said he was glad to have cleared his name.
97:. On 8 September 2005, he was acquitted of charges of conspiracy to defraud the government and of obtaining money under false pretenses, and Prime Minister Qarase announced his decision to reappoint Raj to the Cabinet. He was duly sworn in by
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countries). He said that Fiji had been given to the Fijian people by God and that they, not Indo-Fijians or others, were therefore entitled to govern the country. Many saw him as grovelling before the strongly pro-ethnic Fijian Qarase.
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former politician, who served as
Minister for Multi-Ethnic Affairs from 2001 to 30 September 2004, when he resigned amid accusations of misuse of funds. At the time, he was the only Indo-Fijian minister in the
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127:. In a parliamentary debate on 8 June 2006, Chaudhry called the appointment of a male to head the Ministry for Women an "act of violence" against women, and called on Raj to resign.
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153:"and don't want such allegations to tarnish their image. The only proper action is to resign voluntarily while the legal process and police investigations take place."
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to purchase a business class ticket for himself, he colluded with Pal to purchase three economy class tickets for himself, his wife
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exonerated by the inquiry, Raj might then be reinstated, Qarase said. He reiterated this position on 16 December 2004.
235:"Using State funds is a case of abuse. He should not have used it and nothing will change that fact. Abuse is abuse,"
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held on 6–13 May 2006, in which Raj retained his seat with a large majority, Prime
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allegedly taken his official driver to India, and had taken excess per diem for his own extended stay there.
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that he was innocent of the charges, and that he had chosen to resign in order to protect the government.
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news service that he would begin the process of readmitting Raj to the
Cabinet in mid-September. The
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earnings by offering them loans. Raj denied the accusation, and invoked parliamentary
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announced that he would represent Raj at the appeal, expected to be held in July.
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Mahendra
Chaudhry said that he still believed that Raj had abused state funds.
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in September 2001. Raj generated outrage among his fellow Indo-Fijians in his
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in the House of Representatives as an independent candidate at the 1999
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of the opposition Fiji Labour Party accused Raj of cheating farmers in
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said the court's decision was improper. He endorsed the judgement of
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He was sure that the ensuing police investigation would clear him.
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Raj's acquittal generated criticism from a number of quarters.
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in the interim Cabinet that was formed in the wake of the
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Indian members of the House of Representatives (Fiji)
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On 23 August 2005, Raj appeared in court along with
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182:The trial of Raj and Pal began on 5 September.
131:The misappropriation allegations and resignation
237:Chaudhry said on 12 September. The same day,
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119:. This appointment was harshly criticised by
363:Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua politicians
218:he said. Prime Minister Qarase told the
66:Learn how and when to remove this message
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29:This article includes a list of general
312:Raj was first elected to represent the
117:Social Welfare, and Poverty Alleviation
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135:The allegations centred on a visit to
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202:On 8 September 2005, Justice
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109:parliamentary election
308:Background and career
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