Police have seized the phone of a family member of former Immigration Controller Mohamed Shamaan Waheed and banned two others from leaving the country.

Shamaan was fired on Thursday and arrested on Friday in connection with a corruption investigation involving Immigration officials and foreign workers.

Police told the media that the passports of two people accused of involvement in extorting money from foreign workers were held with a court warrant.

But police did not disclose their identities.

On Saturday night, the Criminal Court extended Shamaan's detention by 15 days. Three other suspects are in police custody. Two were remanded for 10 days while the third suspect was remanded for three days.

Shamaan and other immigration officers are under investigation for allegedly releasing a detained foreigner and extorting MVR 530,000 from him.

In a statement ahead of his arrest, police said the residence of the foreign worker was searched by employees who were not involved in the designated Immigration departments.

Police said the foreigner, who was in Immigration custody, was released the next day along with the MVR 530,000 on Shamaan's orders.

The foreigner was released and the money was taken from him by immigration officials who searched his residence after meeting him on the street.

Police said the immigration officers took the money from the man and went to Shamaan's house.

Police did not disclose the amount of money seized from Shamaan's house during a raid on Thursday night but Adhadhu understands it was estimated at around MVR 500,000 in cash.