Privileges bill was passed to obstruct criminal investigations- CP Riyaz
Abdul Latheef Adam

Commissioner of Police Abdullah Riyaz has said that the privileges bill was passed in the Peoples' Majlis was to obstruct criminal investigations involving any member of the Majlis.

CP Riyaz said that there are ongoing criminal investigations involving some members of the Majlis and there are some criminal investigations that involve members that are still pending. He said that he believes that this bill was passed to obstruct these investigations.

Riyaz noted that the passed bill stipulates that the member who is in custody as a precaution to protect evidence should be allowed to attend Majlis sittings and committee meetings. He said that this will allow the member who is suspected of a crime to play with the evidence and interfere with the investigation.

"The committee meetings might go on from morning to night. If the one under investigation is not held in custody this will obstruct the investigation. Therefore, I do not believe it. The law says that all should be treated equally. The right to investigation is violated by this bill," he said.

Meanwhile, The Parliamentary Privileges bill returned to the People’s Majlis by President Dr. Mohamed Waheed was passed without any amendments, by a majority of 41 votes. Out of the 67 members present during the vote, 41 voted in favor of the passage of the bill while 25 voted against the bill and one MP abstained.