Former vice-president of Maldives Ahmed Adeeb who was detained by Indian agencies in Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu was deported in the wee hours of Saturday.

It comes after Ahmed’s plea for political asylum was rejected by the Indian government.

Ahmed Adeeb was detained by Indian agencies for illegally entering India on Thursday.

According to a Maldives Independent report, Ahmed Adeeb was trying to illegally enter India as a crew member of a tug boat.

The former Vice-President is a subject of an investigation for allegedly misappropriating state funds. The Supreme Court of Maldives has imposed a travel ban on Ahmed.

The Maldives police’s official statement on August 1 said that they were making attempts to take Ahmed back to Maldives. The statement also said that all those involved in helping the former vice-president flee would be subject to a criminal investigation.

In response to a query on former vice-president of Maldives not permitted entry into India, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, “There are designated entry points through which foreigners are allowed entry into India. The entry is facilitated on the basis of appropriate valid travel documents. In the instant case, since he was not entering India through a designated entry point and did not possess the valid document, he has not been permitted entry into India.”