The Malaysian Police conducted searches at five of ousted Prime Minister Najib Razak properties, including his home, on Wednesday night, Reuters reported. Razak is embroiled in a multi-billion dollar corruption scandal. The searches follow his loss in the election on May 9.
Commercial Crime Director Amar Singh Ishar Singh told reporters that police were searching for evidence in the corruption case, AP reported.
The former prime minister has denied any wrongdoing in the case. The new prime minister and Razak’s former mentor, Mahathir Mohamad, had said he would re-open investigations into the case. On May 12, the government had banned Razak from leaving the country.
Razak had resisted demands to step down in 2015 despite reports of financial mismanagement at the government-owned company 1Malaysia Development Berhad, including an allegation that he received $681 million (Rs 4,425 crore) in his personal bank account.
On May 10, Malaysia’s opposition alliance won the election, unseating the Barisan Nasional or National Front after 61 years. Mohamad took over as the prime minister after ending his retirement following corruption allegations against Razak.
On May 16, 92-year-old Mohamad’s government pardoned Opposition leader and former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and freed him from jail. He was imprisoned on charges of sodomy. According to his deal with Ibrahim, Mohamad will serve as prime minister for two years, before handing over power to his former rival.
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