Police investigating attempted bribery in the superyacht facility privatisation are investigating an alleged meeting between a businessman and a Privatisation Unit official, The Times has learnt.

The meeting is alleged to have taken place over lunch in a Paceville restaurant between a leading businessman involved with one of the bidding companies and a public official, who was a member of the Privatisation Unit board. The meeting is said to have taken place last year when the bidding process was still open.

Investigators are expected to look into the call logs of mobile phone numbers that belonged to the two people and others involved in the process.

Over the past few days, the police questioned a number of businessmen involved with the various companies that submitted bids for the superyacht facility. The police also questioned the chief executive of the government's investment arm Mimcol, who also sits on the Privatisation Unit board.

The government's privatisation document outlining bidding conditions made it very clear that any of the prospective bidders could not contact any member of the Privatisation Unit except the chairman and only to request information and seek clarification. The request for proposals made it clear bidders who breached such condition could be disqualified.

Although the super yacht bidding process was stopped, the allegation that such a meeting took place could open a can of worms on the other privatisation processes linked to Malta Shipyards because of the businessman's commercial interests.

The investigation started over a week ago after the Prime Minister referred to the Police Commissioner allegations that had reached his office last September.

The issue was fleetingly raised by Opposition Leader Joseph Muscat in the form of a question during the close of the debate on the motion to transfer the Manoel Island yacht yard facility and the Cospicua ship repair facility to private owners.

In Parliament, Lawrence Gonzi said he only got to know about the allegations of bribery eight months after they were made to a high official at the Office of the Prime Minister.

The official had referred the allegations to Finance Minister Tonio Fenech, who sought clarifications from members of the Privatisation Unit. Mr Fenech told Parliament he was satisfied by their denial and insisted he did not refer the matter to the police because it was "hearsay".