Supreme Court Agreement: Sherry Singh Receives Public Apology from Top FM Ltd

After six years of legal proceedings, Sherry Singh has won his case against Top FM and Top TV. The Supreme Court has ratified an agreement that includes the withdrawal of allegations of influence peddling and a public apology for the damages suffered.

The case involved Manvendra Singh, better known as Sherry Singh, the former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Mauritius Telecom (MT), against Top FM Ltd, Top TV Ltd, Balkrishna Kaunhye, Murvind Beetun, and Deepak Persand. It officially concluded on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, in front of Judge Renuka Dabee. The Supreme Court approved a settlement, the terms of which were read in court by Me Urmila Boolell, Senior Counsel representing Sherry Singh.

The dispute dates back to the airing of an interview on October 25, 2019, broadcasted on Top TV's YouTube channel titled "Inside the Power – Episode 3 – The Sherry on the Cake." The show, hosted by journalist Murvind Beetun, included statements from various guests that referred to "questionable transactions," "influence peddling," "extortion acts," and projects related to fiber optics, such as the installation of Serinity cables or the alleged "Mars Gate" in Rodrigues, estimated at around Rs 200 million and referred to as a "wedding gift."

In his complaint, Sherry Singh, then CEO of Mauritius Telecom, argued that these allegations wrongly implied that he had expedited fiber optic projects in violation of bidding procedures to the detriment of other contractors. He accused the defendants (Top FM Ltd, Top TV Ltd, Balkrishna Kaunhye, Murvind Beetun, and Deepak Persand) of disseminating serious, unfounded insinuations in an unprofessional manner. He specifically sought public apologies, the removal of the video, which had been viewed over 106,000 times, and Rs 100 million in damages.

"No Evidence"

In the agreement presented in court, the defendants asserted they had no intention of harming him or damaging his integrity or reputation.

They unreservedly retracted all allegations of influence peddling, conspiracy, blackmail, extortion, or "questionable transactions," acknowledging that "no evidence" had established that the complainant (Sherry Singh) had committed such acts. They also offered their sincere apologies for the distress, harm, and embarrassment caused.

"Extra Satisfied"

The agreement also stipulates that a full apology will be published on Top TV Mauritius's Facebook page within 24 hours, the removal of any publication related to the video, and a commitment not to republish these allegations in any form.

In a statement to Radio Plus, Sherry Singh said: "Today, after nearly six years, I have succeeded in clearing my name." He explained, "Just before the 2019 elections, there was a show on Top FM with Mr. Kaunhye and his associates. They made very serious allegations against me. I had to bear this burden for several years. Today, I am extremely satisfied that Mr. Kaunhye and those who made that show have presented their apologies."