The head of the body representing most police officers in England and Wales has been arrested on suspicion of fraud by abuse of position, weeks after he publicly called for stronger protections for whistleblowers, The Guardian reported.

Mukund Krishna, the chief executive of the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) since 2024, was arrested at his Surrey home on Wednesday by detectives from the City of London Police, according to the newspaper. Two former senior federation officials were also arrested in coordinated raids on the same suspicion, the report said.

Police said they were investigating “allegations of fraud relating to governance and financial decision-making” within the federation, and concerns involving “three individuals” who held distinct senior roles in its governance and operational structure, according to the report. The Guardian said it understood allegations were made to police more than a year ago, with some disclosures coming from current and former members of the federation.

Detective Sergeant James Halkett, of the City of London police domestic corruption unit, said a criminal investigation was under way into allegations of fraud made against “three individuals connected to the national PFEW”. Halkett said the inquiry was “complex and active,” according to the report.

Krishna, a former management consultant, was appointed as the PFEW’s first chief executive in 2024 and earned salary and bonuses of about £320,000 a year, The Guardian said. The report said supporters credited him with helping stabilize the federation after it faced major financial risks, including negotiating down a potential £110-million bill to £40 million after a data breach and an employment tribunal defeat.

The Police Federation of England and Wales claims up to 145,000 members up to and including the rank of chief inspector and has been marked by decades of infighting and calls for reform, according to the newspaper. 

Read more at The Guardian