Police have seized the mobile phone of a Maldivian national for allegedly photographing President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu inside a shopping mall during his recent unofficial visit to Singapore.
Adhadhu has learnt that the man was surrounded by six policemen when he got off a plane from Singapore at the Velana International Airport (VIA) last night and his phone was confiscated with a court order. Police released the man after questioning him.
Police sought an order to seize his phone from the Criminal Court yesterday. The court issued the order under Sections 231, 233 and 615(4) of the Penal Code. The offences included in the sections are:
- Section 231 - Unlawful Eavesdropping or Surveillance
- Section 233. Unlawful Disclosure of Information
- Section 615(4) - Persistently follows a person in or about a public place or places
The photo involved in the case is believed to have been posted by the anonymous "Hassan Kurusee" account on social media
The photo shows President Muizzu and his family walking inside the mall of Paragon Medical Center with the official security detail. The President visited Singapore on an unofficial trip for a medical check-up.
Although a phone has been seized for publicising a photo of President Muizzu, no action was taken when a State Minister recently posted a photo of the President at a cafe'.
