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Maldives ex-vice president ‘arrested’ in TN for ‘illegally entering India’, MEA verifying reports

Maldivian media reported that Adeeb was arrested while trying to enter the country illegally as a crew member of a tug boat.

Maldives ex-vice president ‘arrested’ in TN for ‘illegally entering India’, MEA verifying reports

Former vice-president of Maldives, Ahmed Adeeb Abdul Ghafoor (centre). (File Photo: Twitter | @Ahmed_Adeeb)

Tuticorin Port Authority in Tamil Nadu on Thursday reportedly said that they have detained former vice-president of Maldives, Ahmed Adeeb Abdul Ghafoor.

Reacting to the reports, the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said that Government was trying to ascertain the veracity of the reports.

He further said that India will contact the Maldives government to ascertain if the reports are true.

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According to a report in India Today, Ahmed Adeeb was detained by Indian agencies for illegally entering India.

The Maldives Independent reported that Adeeb was arrested while trying to enter the country illegally as a crew member of a tug boat.

However, the Maldivian authorities are yet to confirm the arrest.

Earlier in May, a court in the Maldives had quashed a controversial conviction of Ahmed Adeeb and ordered a fresh trial on allegations that he attempted to assassinate his boss.

The High Court set aside the 15-year sentence handed to Adeeb in 2016 after he was found guilty of trying to blow up then-president Abdulla Yameen’s speed boat in September 2015.

However, the three-judge bench in a majority decision ordered that Adeeb be held in custody for 15 days pending a fresh trial.

He was freed from house arrest just two weeks ago after serving the 15-day contempt of court sentence.

Adeeb was considered a close confidant of Yameen until he was dramatically impeached in November 2015 following allegations he was trying to topple the president.

Yameen escaped unhurt when an explosion ripped through his speed boat, but his wife and two others were slightly injured.

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