Maldives immigration retains passport of Sheikh Ilyas

Maldives Immigration has retained the passport of Sheikh Ilyas Hussain from the opposition Adhaalath Party.

The prominent scholar is under investigation for a speech he made at a rally earlier this month.

His passport was retained with a warrant from Addu City Hithadhoo magistrate court and comes on the eve of a presidential election.

Police summoned him for questioning on August 5 over “dangerous” claims that nine people were killed to cover up the murder of MP Afrasheem Ali in October 2012.

But he had already left the country and gone to Malaysia when police issued the summons. He returned last Thursday.

“I have not committed a criminal offence. But I informed them [police] after returning in order to cooperate with the investigation,” he was quoted as saying at the rally.

Ilyas is registered to vote in Malaysia and was informed his passport had been retained when he went to Addu international airport Saturday morning to travel to Kuala Lumpur so he could cast his ballot.

Police earlier accused Ilyas of trying to sow discord, create fear and cause loss of public confidence in the force by making the claim “to serve personal and political purposes.”

He was also accused of trying to influence the election.