Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) Noonu Atoll wing leader Mohamed Abbas has been arrested with possession of a bottle suspected to contain alcohol.
Police Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam said that three men were arrested for allegedly carrying alcohol in an empty water bottle.
”Two men have been released now,” said Shiyam. “The bottle will be brought to Male’ for the necessary examinations.”
Shiyam declined to reveal the identity of the person under arrest, however he confirmed that Abbas was one of the two persons released.
Alcohol in the Maldives is strictly controlled and restricted to ‘uninhabited’ resort islands. Maldivians, who are constitutionally-obligated to be Muslim, are prohibited from consuming it in accordance with Islamic practices.
Online newspaper based on Noonu Atoll, Velidhoo Online (VO), reported that three bottles of alcohol were discovered inside Abbas’s backpack.
VO reported that the bottles were discovered by police when they were checked following their arrival from the Ranveli Resort of Noonu Atoll.
The paper also said that people had gathered near Velidhoo police station and held demonstrations to express disapproval of Abbas.
Deputy leader of DRP, Umar Naseer, said Abbas was not the leader of DRP’s Noonu Atoll wing.
”He’s just a normal DRP member, an activist,” said Umar. ”I have idea how this happened, but I know he did not drink, because his breath-test results were negative to alcohol.”
Umar said there were no alcoholics in the opposition DRP, and claimed that there were only alcoholics in the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).
”Police should investigate the case and take necessary actions against any person who violates the law, without referring to which party he is in or what his post is,” Umar added.
Police recently discovered bottles of alcohol inside the car of MDP parliamentary group leader and MP Moosa ‘Reeko’ Manik, however the government claimed the alcohol bust was a setup.
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Umar Naseer has every right to be insulted. No alcoholics here. Just social drinkers like Abbas. Party animals over at MDP.
Is it the latest trend to see which party a person represents as soon as he/she commits a crime? Or I wonder if the latest constitution says that one's party status has to be confirmed before giving a verdict?
This country is going from bad to worse. I think we should call for assistance of the whole world to get funding to educate the investigating police and judiciary members.
Umar is right. When a person joins DRP, God send angels to shut down parts of their brains so they never touch any alcohol. The sad thing is it also makes them rather stupid.
Dr. Hassan,
Have a glass of chardonay and ask people to vote for you like Thasmeen does????
hello guys.. He's got nothing to do with that.. police and the media has apologized for the wrong information.. Another guy (Malik) is responsible for this and police has released Abbas.. But what about Moosa case, sulashiraaz case..
In deed the alcohol in Moosa's car was a set up.
Concern is that are they being arrested for carrying a bottle that like alcohol!
Carrying a bottle of alcohol is not h'araam! Neither it is h'araam to be carrying a tool that perform an act that is h'araam!
So the alcohol bottle is suspect?
does umar naseer know who an alcoholic is?
Alcohol is not the problem.
The problem is not acknowledging the facts. A lot of Maldivians drink alcohol. Some at every opportunity they get, while some do it sparingly. Its only a few that do not touch alcohol when he has ample opportunity to do so.
But we always act surprised. Why? Do we feel that the more surprised we act, the more devout muslims we will be?
Umar Naseer changed the water in it to wine. 😀
It is very simple ... when you find alcohol with someone just ask him if it belongs to him. If he says yes then we can proceed leagally and if he is kind enough to say no and deny, then take it as someone is trying to frame him. This is what the govt and all parties like and from the past we know that this system works with every one.
Being a (too ?) simple supporter of DRP, for me it's unacceptable that people like this Abbas are still part of our party while they make their money for both politics and business out of the illegal trade of alcohol and drugs. Shame on such people, the Prophet would raise of this tombe !