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JP leader Gasim appeals remand

Opposition Jumhoory Party (JP) leader on Sunday appealed the Criminal Court order to remand him for six days.

The business magnate had been taken into custody on Thursday over recent allegations of bribing fellow lawmakers and making incitements to overthrow the government.

His legal team said the court had ordered the remand based on a police intel report which had not been backed by any evidence.

Opposition meanwhile has claimed that the Maamigili MP's arrest was in violation of the privileges and immunity entitled to parliamentarians.

According to law, a lawmaker can only be arrested unless from a scene of a crime under an arrest warrant from a superior court which must requested directly by the prosecutor general's office.

However, the arrest warrant was issued by the criminal court on direct request by the police.

Several opposition lawmakers had warned that police and relevant government officials could face terrorism charges for the unlawful arrest and detention of a parliamentarian.