Sri Lankan man under investigation for threatening Minister Khaleel

Maldives Police Service has launched an investigation into multiple threats made by a Sri Lankan man against Maldives' Foreign Minister Dr. Abdulla Khaleel during his now concluded visit to the country.

A police official told local media that the agency was alerted to threats made by a Sri Lankan man identified as Nadeesh Perera, and that they were looking into the matter in collaboration with relevant agencies.

According to local media outlet Mihaaru, Perera was previously married to a Maldivian woman, whom he shares a child with. However, Nadeesh was barred from entering the Maldives and deported back to Sri Lanka later on.

Mihaaru reported citing Perera's lawyers as saying although he had prepared to enter the Maldives on a tourist visa on May 24, 2024, he was denied entry and forced to return back to Sri Lanka without being allowed access to lawyers. Perera is said to have discovered that he was deported via his lawyers, with the reason allegedly being to protect his former wife from domestic abuse.

According to Perera's lawyers, "allegations that the ex-wife's signatures were forged on the documents she presented for a resident visa and an 'interim order to protect the ex-wife from domestic violence' acquired during the divorce proceedings led to his deportation.

The lawyers also claimed Maldives Police Service did not receive any reports of domestic violence or forgery complaints against Perera, and that there was no investigation carried out prior to his deportation.

In a series of X posts, Perera wrote tagging Minister Khaleel, "[...] in Sri Lanka death can come in the form as a disguised lawyer in the court house! So be careful when you are at the hotel room death can come to you in a form of a room boy or waiter."

This tweet was made after a man disguised as a lawyer shot a gang leader dead in a Sri Lankan court.

In another post, Perera also wrote, "will @abkhaleel car crash in Colombo and cause of death be inhalation of carbon monoxide emitted from the fire? Driver should drive with care [...]"

A later post warned minister Khaleel to make sure his room is clean and safe. "[...] otherwise you might die of pesticide poisoning," he wrote.

A separate post also said the minister should ask his driver to drive safely. "Also keep your room door and windows locked. Sri Lankan ghosts will visit you in the night," he added.

Perera has also been making allegations against Maldivian diplomats based in Sri Lanka as well as Maldives' Immigration Controller Shamman Waheed.

According posts on his social media Perera had protested outside the Maldivian High Commission in Sri Lanka as well, requesting access to his child.