Maldives Police Service has revealed former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb Abdul Ghafoor has been taken in to custody after a failed attempt to enter the country on a tugboat.
The Government of India handed him over to Maldivian authorities, turning down an asylum plea, according to news reports. The New Indian Express reported Adeeb was returning back to Maldives on the same tugboat he tried to enter India along with officials from relevant authorities.
The former vice president was apprehended when he arrived in Thoothukudi, in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The former vice-president travelled on the tugboat named Virgo 9. The newspaper reported there were 9 crew members on-board the tugboat when it left for the Maldives on July 11. The crew included an Indian and eight Indonesians.
The Singapore-registered tugboat started its return journey on July 27 with 10 people on-board, including Ahmed Adeeb. On being alerted by the agent, officials from Indian customs, the coast guard and intelligence agencies boarded the vessel and questioned Adeeb.
The former vice president was to be summoned by Maldives police last Wednesday. However, the police said he fled instead of providing a statement regarding the MMPRC corruption scandal. He was also registered as a key witness against former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom's ongoing money laundering case proceeding at Criminal Court of Maldives. A hearing has been scheduled for next Sunday, with Adeeb set to give a testimony.
Apart from Maldives Police Service, no state authorities have made comments regarding the matter. Maldives police said efforts are underway to bring Adeeb back to Maldives with the assistance from friendly nations.