SC bench led by Chief Justice orders the blackmail case to be reopened and prosecuted

The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that the case of a man arrested last year for allegedly extorting more than MVR 300,000 by threatening a woman with pornographic content can continue.

According to police last year, the arrest was made in connection with blackmail.

According to records, the case was reported to the police on December 19, 2024, after a man threatened, blackmailed and extorted more than MVR 300,000 from a woman.

The prosecution charged Fawaz with blackmail. But last April, at the preliminary stage of the case, the Criminal Court ruled that the case could not be pursued under civil standards. The prosecution appealed the case to the High Court, which upheld the lower court’s ruling.

However, Fawaz could not escape the Supreme Court in the case presided over by the Chief Justice on Thursday. The Supreme Court quashed the decisions of the High Court and the Criminal Court and ordered the case to be reopened.

Chief Justices Abdul Ghanee Mohamed, Ali Rasheed and Abdulla Hameed on Thursday ordered the prosecution to continue the case, re‑filing within seven days.