President of the Maafushi island council, Usman Rasheed, has been released hours after he was taken into police custody.

Rasheed was taken into police custody on Saturday afternoon under a court order by Himmafushi Court, stating that he was being arrested under allegations of threatening Member of Parliament for Guraidhoo, Ibrahim Riza. He was to be kept in police custody as he may pose a threat to national security and influence the lawmaker in some way.

However, Maafushi court had ordered the release of the council President due to insufficient evidence against him and issued an order of Maldives Police Service to release him immediately.

The court in Maafushi had released the order less than 14 hours before the Presidential Election commences.