Thinadhoo mayor receives red carpet welcome upon return after three-month suspension

The Thinadhoo City Council rolled out a red carpet for Mayor Saud Ali on Thursday, as he returned to work following the expiration of a three-month suspension on corruption allegations.

Both Saud and Deputy Mayor Nasrulla Ali were suspended without pay by the Local Government Authority (LGA) on June 25, as they looked into multiple allegations of irregularities and corruption lodged against them.

Saud was suspended for three months, while Nasrulla was suspended for one month.

The council’s staff rolled out a red carpet and waited outside the council office holding flowers and cheering as he returned to work on Thursday morning, following the expiration of his suspension.

Saud, who maintains that his suspension was “unlawful”, told Sun that he was pleased to return to office and work on the development of Thinadhoo.

Saud had filed a lawsuit with the Civil Court contesting his suspension.

Saud and Nasrulla were suspended as the LGA launched an inquiry into 19 allegations, including abuse of power and misuse of council resources.