Resources confirm the incumbent Police Commissioner Ahmed Areef has been excluded from the active investigation on Dhiggaru constituency lawmaker Ahmed Faris Maumoon.
The lawmaker's case has been assigned to a special team of Maldives Police Service to continue further probing.
A high ranking police official, under anonymity condition, confirmed that a special investigative unit has been formulated which will be spearheaded by Deputy Police Commissioner Ahmed Saudhee while Commissioner Areef is barred from any involvement with the case.
The officer had also informed that Police Deputy Commissioner had instructed head of Specialist Support Ahmed Mohamed via SMS to take charge of all investigative aspects of the case.
Though the chain of command on Faris Maumoon's case has witnessed a sudden change, the original hierarchy of the police department is still in tact, which has been informed to all senior officers.
Designated media officer of Police Service Ahmed Shifan had claimed that Police Commissioner Ahmed Areef was in command of the department, stressing he was still in service of the authority. Questions related to the swapping of command for Faris Maumoon's case were dodged by Shifan, who answered by reiterating CP Areef was still in his original position.
The Dhiggaru constituency lawmaker, Faris Maumoon was arrested and transported to Dhoonidhoo penitentiary on late afternoon of Saturday.
Before his sudden arrest, Maumoon had met with local media and stated he was met with Commissioner Areef who had warned him of the government's attempt to arrest the lawmaker once again. According to Maumoon, Areef had claimed the incumbent President Yameen Abdul Gayoom had personally ordered elite political individuals and authorities to see the arrest of Faris Maumoon go through.
Lawmaker Maumoon claims this as a politically motivated move to incarcerate him once again using power and influence. His references were directed towards uncle and incumbent President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, who according to Maumoon personally ordered the arrest of the lawmaker once again - to ascertain he was removed from political power-play.
