Transport director suspended for illegal vehicle registrations

Rushuna Rashad, an assistant director at the transport ministry, was suspended on Wednesday for allegedly registering vehicles illegally.

A transport ministry official confirmed to Atoll Times on Thursday that Rushuna has been suspended in connection with a case being investigated by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

The illegal registration of vehicles by the transport ministry is being probed. According to reliable sources inside the ministry, Rushuna has been suspended in connection with the case.

Rushuna was suspended by the Civil Service Commission on Wednesday in connection with a case being investigated by them.

A senior transport official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Atoll Times on Thursday that the power to sign documents was delegated to Assistant Director Rushuna. He added that the vehicles were registered by Rushuna.

"Illegal vehicles were being registered by taking money from people. Rushuna is suspected to be the mastermind behind the crime," said the official, who is privy to the development in the case.

When attempted to contact, Rushuna remained unavailable for comment as she did not respond to phone calls.

In September, the transport ministry started issuing notifications by cancelling the registration of some vehicles on the grounds that they were illegally registered. Thus:

Owners of nine of the vehicles, which had their registrations cancelled, had filed a civil suit against the transport ministry. The plaintiffs have sought:

Last month, the Civil Court issued an interim order stating that the registrations were not cancelled.