Maldives police service has begun investigating the ‘false’ claims made against speaker and former President, Mohamed Nasheed.

The People’s Majlis issued a statement on May 18, seeking a police investigation into claims that the former president had belittled Prophet Mohammed (PBUH). While a Jeeza Ali Ibrahim is to have made the accusation in an interview to a local news outlet, the police have been asked to investigate the matter under Article 10 of the Criminal Procedure Act. Charges are being sought against the outlet that aired the interview as well.

Confirming that such a case has been submitted by the parliament, the police’s media official told RaajjeMV that they are “looking into it”.

The People’s Majlis, in its statement, also noted that the purpose of such remarks is to encourage violence against the speaker, including bloodshed.

Nasheed’s Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) also condemned the 'lies' against its leader, and called for a thorough investigation into the matter. It also stressed that the purpose of this is to instigate physical attacks against the former president.

Nasheed was the fourth president of the Maldives, and the first democratically elected leader of the country. While he won the 2008 presidential elections against former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom -who ruled the nation for 30 years- he resigned in 2012 following 'a coup'.

The former president has received a number of death threats prior to the resignation and since.