Officers from the City of London police arrested Mukund Krishna and two other national board members in an operation tied to an investigation into alleged financial wrongdoing at the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW). The arrests have put the spotlight on an organisation that represents 130, 000 officers.
What happened to Mukund Krishna?
Mukund Krishna, who was appointed the PFEW’s first chief executive in 2024 and is paid more than £320, 000 a year, was arrested by City of London police alongside two other national board members. The arrests followed an investigation into allegations of financial wrongdoing at the PFEW. Officers from the City of London police’s domestic corruption unit carried out the arrests as part of a criminal investigation into allegations of fraud made against three individuals connected to the national PFEW.
DS James Halkett, of the City of London police domestic corruption unit, said: “A 46-year-old man from Surrey, a 51-year-old man from Wales and a 55-year-old man from Bristol were all arrested on suspicion of fraud by abuse of position. ” He added: “This is a complex and active investigation in which we are pursuing all lines of enquiry, and I would ask that anyone with further information related to our enquiries contact us our major incident public portal. ”
Why were arrests made and how are institutions responding?
The arrests followed allegations raised more than a year earlier, with some disclosures coming from colleagues within the organisation. The PFEW has said it is aware that three individuals connected to the Police Federation have been arrested as part of an ongoing police investigation. The organisation described the matter as live and said it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage, adding that it is cooperating fully with the relevant authorities.
The City of London police have framed the activity as a criminal investigation into allegations of fraud by abuse of position and have urged anyone with additional information to come forward through official channels. The domestic corruption unit is handling the enquiries and has described the investigation as complex and active.
What does this mean for the federation and its members?
The PFEW speaks for 130, 000 officers across the country, and the legal and reputational questions raised by these arrests touch the organisation’s leadership and its role on behalf of its membership. The arrest of Mukund Krishna and two other national board members has introduced a period of uncertainty while the criminal investigation proceeds and the PFEW cooperates with investigators.
At this stage the matter is being treated as a live criminal investigation. Public outreach by the police unit handling the case underscores that inquiries remain ongoing and that the authorities are pursuing all lines of enquiry before further steps are taken.
Back at the heart of the story, the arrests that included Mukund Krishna have shifted attention from daily representation to accountability and process — an unresolved moment for an organisation that represents a large swath of the country’s policing workforce, and one that will be answered only as the criminal investigation continues.
