A case has emerged involving the payment of MVR 100,000 from a tourism entrepreneur to Naifaru MP Yaaseen Abdulla, mediated by Tourism Minister Ibrahim Faisal.
A reliable source told Adhadhu that Asna Investment Pvt Ltd, the parent company of Kaani Hotels, the largest local tourism operator in Maafushi, had deposited MVR 100,000 into Yaaseen's Bank of Maldives (BML) account on October 28 this year.
The transaction's bank transfer slip and chat logs of WhatsApp conversations between Yaaseen and Faisal have been obtained by Adhadhu. According to the chat logs, Yaaseen received the money to settle a debt.
Yaaseen expressed gratitude in the chat logs, stating that he would always remember the support during a difficult time.
When contacted by Adhadhu about the transaction, Yaaseen initially requested to call him back in two days. However, upon further inquiry, he hung up, citing range issues with his phone connection.
Minister Faisal denied facilitating the payment to Yaaseen. However, Faisal himself had sent the bank transfer slip to Yaaseen, according to the documents obtained.
The evidence does not indicate any specific benefit received by the entrepreneur in return for the payment.
Under Section 513 of the Penal Code, it is an offence for a public servant to misuse their position to obtain an unfair advantage for themselves or another person.
