Hours after police arrested opposition aligned Jumhoory Party (JP) leader Gasim Ibrahim, the opposition coalition on Thursday vowed to step up efforts against the government.
The business magnate had been taken into custody over recent allegations of bribing fellow lawmakers and making incitements to overthrow the government.
Police had sought charges against the Maamigili lawmaker on Wednesday Maamigili lawmaker over a recent speech he had given during a JP rally where he was alleged to have hinted at possible bribing of fellow lawmakers, but prosecutors had not confirmed that Gasim had been formally charged.
During his speech Gasim who had recently teamed up with main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) leader Mohamed Nasheed, deposed ruling party leader Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and religiously conservative Adhaalath Party (AP) leader Sheikh Imran Abdulla had urged government lawmakers vote in favour of a censure motion to unseat parliament speaker Abdulla Maseeh. He had vowed to assist lawmakers secure re-election if they voted in favour of the motion.
MDP parliamentary group leader Ibrahim Mohamed Solih during a joint press conference shortly after Gasim's arrest, said the allegations against the resort tycoon were completely baseless and unfounded.
Solih reiterated that the allegations and the subsequent arrest were intended to block the opposition attempt to unseat the deputy parliament speaker through a censure vote slated for April 11.
He insisted that the fresh anti-government efforts were not based on a single opposition leader.
"We're continuously witnessing the lack of an environment for a free and fair elections in the Maldives," the Hinnavaru MP added.
JP's deputy parliamentary group leader Abdulla Riyaz questioned the police investigation saying that serious nature of the allegations against Gasim should be investigated by the police serious and organized crimes department rather than the general investigation department.
Gasim had been taken to the police detention island 'Dhoonidhoo' after his arrest and his remand hearing is expected on Friday.
Gasim's empire had also faced sanctions over unpaid rent on an island leased to his Villa Shipping and Trading Company for resort development.
The resort tycoon had also been slapped with a travel ban to prevent him from leaving the country while the country's inland revenue department has frozen the company's account until nearly USD100 million in unpaid rent and fines are settled.
