Maldives ex-VP attempts to flee on tugboat, arrested in India
Adeeb was sentenced to 33 years in prison over various charges including terrorism and corruption, but was freed earlier this year
Virgo 9
Former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb was arrested from India’s Tuticorin port, while attempting to flee.
RaajjeMV understands that Adeeb began his journey to India on July 27, via a tugboat. He is to have been arrested a day later, on July 28.
A crew member of the tugboat he was traveling in has confirmed Adeeb’s arrest to RaajjeMV, adding that he is currently under Indian Bureau of Immigration’s custody.
According to Indian media outlets, Adeeb -whose passport has been revoked- had attempted to enter the country under the pretense of a crew member. Nine crew members are to have been traveling on the tugboat -Virgo 9- with Adeeb.
Both Maldivian and Indian authorities are yet to confirm any of this.
During a press conference held on Thursday, spokesperson at the Ministry of External Affairs Raveesh Kumar said that they “are trying to ascertain reports” of Adeeb’s arrest from the country.
According to Times of India, Adeeb is currently being questioned by central agencies off the coast in Tamil Nadu and the ship he was traveling is yet to be given permission to dock at the Tuticorin Old Port.
It further claims that Adeeb had boarded the boat from Indonesia.
The Indian crew member onboard, remaining eight were from Indonesia, had notified the ship's agent "about the new man onboard", who in turn informed relevant authorities.
However, The Hindu reports that the tugboat left the Maldives on July 29 and that the Indian Coastguard had intercepted the boat "based on information from Maldivian authorities."
While investigations are underway on how he managed to board the ship, Times of India cited an official saying that Adeeb's attempt to enter India is "an issue of international concern and would affect ties between the country and Maldives."
They are also probing whether Adeeb had a visa and the required clearance form Maldives, which is unlikely as he is the prime suspect in the country's biggest corruption case in history and given the fact that his passport has been withheld.
Times of India reports that he is likely to be sent back to Maldives.
While Adeeb was sentenced to 33 years in prison over various charges including terrorism and corruption, he was freed earlier this year.
Prior to this, the former VP was granted medical leave to India. Officers of the Maldives Police Service and Maldives Correctional Services had accompanied him on this trip.
Adeeb returned to Maldives on July 6.
After he was granted permission to travel, Supreme Court ordered authorities to seize his passport.
While the state has appealed the rulings that led to Adeeb’s release, Supreme Court ordered Maldives Immigration to withhold Adeeb’s passport until a court reaches a decision in the cases against him.
