Nazim's remand extended by seven days

The Criminal Court on Saturday extended the detention of Nazim Sattar - a prominent lawyer and younger brother of Parliament speaker, former president Mohamed Nasheed, who was arrested on suspicion of engaging in homosexual acts - by seven days.

Nazim was initially arrested while he was in a resort in AA. Atoll. From there he was taken to AA. Rasdhoo Magistrate Court for his remand hearing. 

Rashdhoo Court had ordered to detain him for seven days. 

Nazim’s arrest comes after a video allegedly showing him having sex with another man leaked last June. The man was later identified as MD Alamgiri, a Bangladeshi sex worker. Alamgiri was arrested by police on July 12. The video was one of many leaked online by a blackmail ring.

Other suspects arrested in the case include former Nolhivaram MP Mohamed Nasheed (Colonel Nasheed), 45, and Abdul Rahman Rafeeu, 35, a police officer working for the Drug Enforcement Department (DED).

Both Colonel and Rafeeu were also on videos allegedly showing them having sex with Alamgiri.

In a tweet shortly after Nazim’s arrest, Nasheed said his brother’s arrest was selective and politically motivated to appease hardline extremists in the coalition government.

He also said the arrest was made in violation of criminal procedures.

However, police have denied the investigation into the case was influenced in any way.

According to the police, the arrests were made after forensic analysis of the many videos and images that leaked online in June.