Police say a red notice has been issued against former Tourism Minister Ali Waheed who is accused of sexual abuse and assault against female employees during his time at the Ministry.

Police said that following the court summon issued against the ex-Minister, Interpol has also issued a red notice against Ali Waheed. Police said that they were working with the Prosecutor General's office to expedite the red notice.

Red Notices are issued for fugitives wanted either for prosecution or to serve a sentence. A

Red Notice is a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action.

Though the local police have said that a red notice has been issued, such a notice has not been published on the Interpol website which features red notices against 9 Maldivian nations.

Ali Waheed had gone to the UK citing medical reasons early last year and had ignored a summons from the Criminal Court to appear in the court hearings in the case against him.

The Criminal Court went on to issue an arrest warrant for the ex-Minister last November while the Supreme Court had sentenced him to 2 months in jail for failing to heed court summons and for contempt of court.