Following several claims from advocates and family of his deteriorating health, Maldives state has responded that the former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom's condition was not serious.
Maldives government also assured the former head of state was receiving apt medical care and none of the authorities responsible were negligent towards providing Gayoom with required medical attention.
Gayoom was receiving medical care for Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV), over his frequent moments of vertigo, at the time of his imprisonment.
A doctors' team were dispatched to Maafushi jail to consult the ailing former president on Wednesday, last week.
Following this both family and advocates had stated that Gayoom was transferred to Dhoonidhoo jail over deteriorating health condition.
Though the Maldives government earlier had not stepped forward to comment on the matter, a top-ranking government official on Friday evening under anonymity claimed that a doctors' team were not dispatched over Gayoom's serious condition.
In fact the anonymous source claimed Gayoom personally had requested for a specialists' team for consultation.
The government official further stated that Gayoom was transferred to Dhoonidhoo since the island is closer in distance to Maldives capital; in order to facilitate easy transfer for Nasreena Ibrahim, Gayoom's spouse.
According to the official, Maldives government attempted to assist Gayoom as well as his wife Nasreena, and cooperated fully to their requests.
The official further said that Gayoom was transferred back to Maafushi jail over the false statements released by his family and advocates about deteriorating health condition.
Earlier several had raised concern the former president was not subjected to adequate medical care that may in turn endanger his life.
Maldives Criminal Court sentenced him to jail for a period of one year seven months for the convicted offense of obstructing justice. The former president refused to divulge information on his smartphone for ongoing police investigation.
Following doctors' instructions his family on multiple occasions attempted to transfer the ailing leader to house arrest. However the court and Maldives Correctional Service have not permitted as per the family's requests.
