Villa Group's lead defense attorney summoned to police for ‘publicizing names of officers’
Customs and Police officers first raided Villa Group’s five resorts on January 19
File photo: Police and Custom officials search a Villa resort
Lead defense attorney for Villa Group, Ahmed Shafeeq has been summoned to the Maldives Police Service (MPS) for questioning.
Last Tuesday, police revealed that it had launched a probe into the group, for publicizing the names of the officers who were active in the raids on five of their resorts.
RaajjeMV understands that Shafeeg has been served a chit, ordering him to present himself to police headquarters on Sunday, for questioning, regarding a statement released by the company’s legal team.
Maldives Police Service has condemned the release of names in the statement issued by the attorney’s, urging the National Integrity Commission (NIC) to review the case submitted against government officials, for acting unlawfully.
Police said that this had been done to obstruct the work of law enforcement officers, and intimidate and threaten them.
Customs and Police officers first raided Villa Group’s five resorts on January 17, claiming that liquor licensed to one of its resorts, from the Customs Bonded Warehouse was being distributed to other resorts associated with it, unlawfully. The five resorts were; Sun Island Resort, Paradise Island Resort, Holiday Island Resort, Royal Island Resort and Fun Island Resort. Villa Group denies any wrongdoings, saying that they did everything as per law.
Villa had publicized the names of a total of 44 officers who had been active in the raids; 37 from the Maldives Customs Service and seven police officers.
