Former President of Maldives, Mohammed Nasheed reportedly took refuge inside the Indian High Commission in Male on Wednesday, after a court issued an arrest warrant against him.
Nasheed went to the Indian High Commission Tuesday, reported sun.mv online news portal, but it was not clear whether he had sought sanctuary in the Indian mission.
A court in capital Male had issued an arrest warrant against Nasheed after he failed to turn up for a hearing.
Nasheed has been accused of abusing his power by ordering the arrest of a senior judge during his tenure.
Nasheed entered the Indian High Commission as the Hulhumal court issued an arrest order for Nasheed to be brought to court after he failed to attend the last scheduled hearing over last year's detention of the Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed.
The case centres around Nasheed's decision in January 2012 to send the military to arrest the head of the country's criminal court Abdullah Mohamed on charges of corruption, misconduct and favouring then-opposition figures.
A conviction could see Nasheed handed a jail term of up to three years in prison or banishment to a small island, a move that would disqualify him from running for office.
A sense of uncertainty has gripped the Maldives ever since Nasheed resigned Feb 7 last year followed what he alleged was a coup. Mohammed Waheed Hassan succeeded him.
Nasheed faced protests over his decision to sack Abdulla Mohamed.
Nasheed justified the arrest saying that the judicial service commission had failed to take action against the judge, who had a string of allegations against him.
Nasheed later claimed that he was forced to quit at gun-point and urged the international community to help restore "democracy" in the South Asian archipelago.
--With Agencies Inputs--
|
|
Comments:
