Ex-Maldives vice president Adeeb Abdul Ghafoor reaches India via Sea, quizzed by central agencies

Tuticorin: Former Maldives Vice President Ahmed Adeeb Abdul Ghafoor Thursday reached India via sea route and he is being questioned by Central agencies off the coast here, police sources said.

The dignitary who arrived on a vessel “cannot deboard now since there was no information about him coming to India,” a top district police official told PTI. Adeeb was being questioned by Central government agencies, he said.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar, on reports of Adeeb’s arrest, said, “We are trying to ascertain the veracity of the reports. We will contact their government and find out if these reports are true.”

The district police have no information to ascertain if his visit has the sanction of competent authorities and the vessel was permitted to berth and there were nine crew members, he said.

A top State police official said Adeeb has not “set his foot on Indian soil,” and declined to elaborate.