Jahangir denies theft, claims he only took raincoat and fruit

Jahangir Alam, a Bangladeshi national accused of stealing over MVR 400,000 from under the seat of a motorcycle parked on a Malé City road, denied the charges against him and told Criminal Court that he only took a raincoat and a bag of fruit.

Jahangir was arrested on 14th September over suspicions that he stole MVR 442,750 from the motorcycle. He currently remains held in remand after his detention was extended for a second time.

During yesterday's remand extension hearing at the Criminal Court, Maldives Police Service presented evidence which suggests he may have stolen the money, including CCTV footage which shows him lifting the seat of a motorcycle and taking something out of it. A statement from the owner of the money was also presented against Jahangir.

In response, Jahangir said that he was being framed over business conflicts, and claimed that the footage does not show him taking the money.

Jahangir's legal counsel told the court that he took a raincoat from under the seat. He also detailed that the bag which Jahangir's second wife took inside their residence contained bananas and dates, adding that this information was provided by his family.

The court order in the matter reads that the video shows him removing other items besides a raincoat, and that his behaviour while removing those items suggests there have been something else as well.

Police also claimed that although it was claimed that Jahangir's second wife took a blue coloured bag with fruits inside their home, the bag was not blue in colour and that the contents of the bag were not bananas.

Despite Jahangir's denial of the accusations levelled against him, the Criminal Court extended his remand by an additional five days, allowing the completion of the investigation.