Maldives Police Service, on late Sunday, successfully extradited former vice president Ahmed Adeeb and was brought to the Police Headquarters.
Adeeb returned to Maldives pic.twitter.com/3Nuth18jWH
— Sim 🇲🇻 (@Simwarr) August 4, 2019
The Hindu reported that the Indian Coastguard escorted Virgo 9, the tugboat aboard which Adeeb attempted to flee on July 27, to the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) during the early hours of Saturday and transferred him to the Maldives Coast Guard.
Indian authorities intercepted the former vice president on August 1 near the coast of Tuticorin Port, Thoothukudi, while posing as a crew member aboard the Singapore-flagged tug.
An Official spokesperson of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Raveesh Kumar stated, "... since he was not entering India through a designated entry point and did not possess the valid document, he has not been permitted entry into India.", hence Adeeb remained aboard the vessel until his deportation.
The Indian government refused to grant political asylum to Adeeb as requested by his international legal team.
Although all the charges against ex-VP Adeeb were dropped, clearing him from serving a jail sentence of 33 years, the state appealed one case regarding the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) fraud at the Supreme Court.
Adeeb's lawyers had requested protection, citing fears of politically motivated charges and past instances of being coerced to issue false statements.
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