Authorities in the Maldives are planning to withhold the passport of former tourism minister Ali Waheed, accused in multiple sexual harassment cases, as he fails to return to the country upon the expiry of the four-month travel relaxation period granted earlier on medical grounds. 

Waheed was dismissed from the position of the tourism minister in July 2019 after several female employees in the ministry accused him of sexual harassment, including attempted rape. Since then he has been facing several charges in a criminal court in the Maldives. 

However, early this year, the court allowed him to travel abroad for four months on medical grounds. Reports claim he is currently staying in the United Kingdom. 

On Thursday, the Maldives’ Prosector-General Office confirmed to Sun News that it had requested police to pass an order for cancellation of his passport. “As a result of holding the passport, he will be prevented from general travel from one country to another using his passport,” Ahmed Shafeeu, the spokesperson of the prosecutor-general, said.

A news report earlier also reported that Waheed was living in the UK residence of the Maldives's deputy high commission Farahanaz Faizal. The latter, however, strongly refuted the allegation.