Ewart Brown, the former Premier, has welcomed the lawsuit filed against the Bermuda Police Service by Mahesh Reddy.

Stating he would continue to “fully support” his colleague at Bermuda Healthcare Services, Dr Brown said he was confident the Supreme Court would rule that the police’s actions were “both arbitrary and illegal”.

“I welcome Dr Reddy’s legal action against the BPS, not only because he deserves to be vindicated and compensated for his wrongful arrest and the distress that has been caused to himself and to his family, but also because the action seeks to uphold the most basic liberties of all Bermudians,” Dr Brown said in a statement tonight.

The Royal Gazette reported last month that a lawsuit had been filed against the BPS on behalf of Dr Reddy, who was arrested and questioned in May, and his home searched, as part of what police described as a financial investigation.

“As I have made clear, I regard the harassment of Dr Reddy as an affront to the rule of law,” Dr Brown continued.

“His summary arrest and the warrantless raid of his home were unnecessary, unfair and unjust. I am confident that the Supreme Court will find the police’s action to have been both arbitrary and illegal.”

Dr Brown added that there “is no doubt in my mind that he has been so callously targeted by the police because of his association with me”.

Dr Brown said: “Dr Reddy’s arrest is part of a long pattern of harassment directed at those around me, and it is yet another example of the lengths to which my opponents will go in their effort to justify the waste of millions in taxpayer money in a misguided ‘investigation’ that has failed to identify any wrongdoing.

“I have supported and will continue to fully support Dr Reddy in this action, as I would any colleague placed in unjustified jeopardy because of her or his association with me or my activities on behalf of the residents of Bermuda.

“I was pleased but not surprised to learn that Chief Justice [Ian] Kawaley has ordered that Dr Reddy’s claim against the BPS should proceed.”

Dr Brown added that because of the “serious concerns” underlying the lawsuit and “the significant issues it presents”, Dr Reddy’s legal team was being advised by Lord Goldsmith, QC, a partner at the law firm Debevoise & Plimpton and a former UK Attorney-General.