Criminal Court on Thursday denied issuing a court order to arrest Ahmed Easa, representative of the Kendhikulhudhoo constituency in the Parliament, who is under investigation on domestic abuse charges.
Easa was accused of abusing his wife Asra Naseem and their young child. The police requested the Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) to obtain a court order on Wednesday evening.
Unless the Police witnesses a Parliamentarian committing a crime, they can only be arrested only with a court order.
Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) made the request earlier on Thursday following the Police's request the previous day.
In the Criminal Court's verdict on their denial, it stated that although there was reason to believe MP Easa committed the crime he has been accused of, as per Article 40 of the Criminal Procedure Act, there were not enough grounds to arrest him.
It concluded that although the the PGO had stated the Police wanted a court order to arrest MP Easa because they suspect he may influence people that have not yet provided a statement to the Police against him, the Police provided no proof on the matter.
The Criminal Court stated the court order was requested on accusations that MP Easa had touched his wife without consent, in addition to beating her, holding their young child outside their balcony, threatening to throw him out and injure him which affects the human rights of the child. The arrest request was made because it is suspected he may influence the witness statements.
The Criminal Court said this case took place on May 19. When the Police arrived on scene after receiving the report, Easa was not in the apartment. Therefore as the accusations aimed at Easa do not fall under Article 22 of the Criminal Procedure Act, as per Article 49 of the Constitution and Article 59 and 60 of the Criminal Procedure Act, he cannot be arrested to keep in Police custody for the investigation.
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