The High Court has cancelled the second hearing of the case filed to invalidate the Criminal Court's order to remand former Controller General of Immigration, Mohamed Shamaan Waheed, who faces numerous allegations of corruption.

The Criminal Court ordered 15 days of remand for Shamaan on 22 March 2025. Although an appeal was filed with the High Court on 26 March 2025 to review Shamaan’s remand case, the High Court rejected and dismissed the case.

However, Shamaan’s legal representative appealed the Registrar's decision to the High Court judges' panel. On Wednesday, the three judges unanimously decided that the case needs to be heard. All three judges determined that the Registrar's decision was incorrect, as there appeared to be legal arguments in the points raised by Shamaan’s side for the purpose of the appeal process.

The bench that heard the case consisted of presiding judge Huzaifa Mohamed, Fathimath Faruheeza, and Mohamed Saleem. They decided to proceed with the case on April 10. Monday's court hearing was the first hearing of the case.

Shamaan’s appeal second hearing was scheduled for Tuesday at 1pm at the High Court. Speaking to RaajjeMV, the High Court media official highlighted that the hearing has been rescheduled to Wednesday. Tuesday's hearing was cancelled due to a conflicting hearing involving one of the judges at the same time.

At the first hearing of the case, Shamaan’s lawyer stated that it is not the state's practice to detain people suspected of misusing official authority or money laundering offenses. Therefore, he characterized that Shamaan was being treated under a special procedure.

Shamaan’s lawyer said that generally, if a person is arrested on suspicion of money laundering or corruption, it is only done if there is a situation where they might influence evidence. However, he also said that Shamaan was arrested considering him a threat to public safety.

While Shamaan’s lawyer has stated this, Shamaan’s wife Hidhfa Faiz took to social media, asserting that Shamaan has been unjustly framed.

Following the expiration of the initial 15-day remand period, the Criminal Court on April 6 ordered for Shamaan to be remanded until the end of the trial.

Shamaan was arrested when he reported to Henveiru Police Station on March 21 to sign the inventory of items seized by the police institution after searching his residence. As a result, critics have been asserting that his “abrupt” arrest was out of fear that the truth of the case might unfold, and that there are hidden issues behind this.

The Maldives Police Service (MPS) on March 22 confirmed that Shamaan was arrested under a court order in connection with allegations that some employees of Maldives Immigration were abusing their official authority to obtain undue benefits from foreign workers.

In a statement released by the police institution on March 21 regarding the case, they said that based on information received about some Maldives Immigration employees abusing their official influence to obtain undue benefits from foreign workers, investigations so far have revealed that employees working in sections other than the Task Force and Risk Management Section, which normally handle the responsibility of finding and detaining illegal foreigners, have been misusing their official influence.

In addition to this, the police institution has highlighted that after searching a house where foreign workers were residing, a large amount of cash was taken along with the foreigners who were brought under Immigration's custody.

Further, a day later, on the orders of the then Controller General of Immigration, a foreigner who was brought to Immigration detention with MVR 530,000 was released from detention in the late hours the same day.

The police institution went on to note that in connection with the case, five people were stopped and searched under a court order, and their electronic devices were taken into police custody. In addition to this, Shamaan's residence was searched, and a large amount of money and electronic devices were confiscated.

The four suspects arrested in connection with the case besides Shamaan are Mohamed Alsan Ismail, 21 and native to Buruni island of Thaa atoll, Ibrahim Ahmed, 37 native to the capital Malé City, and Hassan Saheshan, 47 native to the capital Malé City. They were arrested on the night of March 20. On March 21, Ahmed Lassaan, 40 and native to the capital city, was arrested.

In addition to this, the police institution revealed that in connection with the case, two individuals have been barred from leaving the country under a court order. A phone belonging to a family member of Shamaan was also confiscated, under a court order.

Some individuals have been alleging that the government is handling Shamaan's case with bias. It has also been alleged that a government minister has exerted significant influence in the case.