Remand has been extended for officers of the Special Operations unit of the Maldives Police Service (MPS) who were arrested under the state of emergency decree following allegations of conspiring to overthrow a legally established administration.

Court had extended their remand by an additional nine days, at a court hearing on Monday.

The officers were arrested under the state of emergency declared by President Yameen Abdul Gayoom, after refusing to implement a Supreme Court order passed by the full bench on February 1 to release high-profile political prisoners and reinstate parliament members, had declared a 45-day state of emergency across the nation.

Arrested officers include, former Commander of Police Saif Hussain, Station Inspector Faiz Mohamed, former Sergeant of the MPS SWAT team Abdulla Riyaz, Corporals Ali Naseer, Hassan Naseer and Mohamed Shamin, as well as Sergeants Ahmed Asim and Mohamed Rishwan.

According to sources these officers had evidently worked in the frontlines of individuals who had supported the implementation of the initial Supreme Court ruling issued on the 01st of February.

These officers had been transferred to Maafushi Prison from Dhoonidhoo island's Detention Center on Saturday without a valid reason.

The officers have since been dismissed from their duties. According to the termination letter they had received of which RaajjeMV had attained copies of, they had been dismissed for going against their duties as officers of the Special Operations unit, for planning a coup d'etat against a legally established administration and for terrorizing officers who had been working to control anti-government protests.

The former Commissioner of Police had also been relieved from duty and arrested under similar allegations and he remains in Dhoonidhoo island prison.