Maldives Police Service (MPS) has confiscated phones of all members of the Ihavandhoo island council and arrested the council’s President Mohamed Rasheed.

While the council comprises of opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s members, RaajjeMV understands that their phones were confiscated under a court order, after the Local Government Authority (LGA) filed a case with the MPS.

As such, the court order stated that LGA has pinned accusations on council President Rasheed for allegedly obstructing the work of the Land Survey Authority following which he was arrested and is being inspected, on Thursday.

Moreover, while accusations have surfaced that the council’s seals have been made in masses, council members are also accused of using their official e-mails during the time of their suspension.

Said accusations were raised on the council members under the penal code sections 311, which reads that a person commits an offense if they tamper with writing, recording or devices, 511 which reads that a person commits an offence if they influence official conduct and 512 which reads that a person commits an offense if being a public official and acting in official capacity, commits an official misconduct.

Moreover, reports have it that officers of the MPS have entered Rasheed’s residence in Ihavandhoo and are conducting a search.

While the arrest and confiscation of phones have been reported on Thursday, RaajjeMV understands that all five members had been under suspension. The LGA, had suspended the five members in late May for a duration of three months. They were suspended for the alleged obstruction of work of employees at the Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure.  The five, who had been suspended previously for three months as well, are not being granted their salaries during the time of suspension. Their second suspension comes shorter than a month since they resumed work after their first suspension in February following a soured Fishermen’s day protest in the island in 2017.