Male:
Sources have told NDTV that India's Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai is being rushed to Maldives to help resolve a deepening political crisis in the nation sparked by the ousting of its first democratically-elected president Mohamed Nasheed.
Mr Nasheed, who came to power in 2008, stepped down after three weeks of opposition-led protests which were capped by a mutiny last Tuesday. He said he was forced to resign following threats of violence from rebel police and army officers.
He was replaced as head of the state by his vice president Mohammad Waheed. Mr Nasheed has accused him of being party to the conspiracy to topple him.
Police had asked the former president to explain his controversial order to arrest a judge last month. But Mr Nasheed's spokesman said today that the ousted leader has rejected the summons to record a statement about his actions as president.
"Our lawyers have spoken to the police and made it clear that president Mr Nasheed will not go to the police to make a statement," Mr Naseem said, reiterating that they did not accept the legitimacy of the new regime.
The new government has not carried out a warrant for Mr Nasheed's arrest after widespread violence following his resignation. International diplomatic pressure has mounted on President Mohamed Waheed not to escalate tensions.
President Waheed has already agreed to a Commonwealth probe into the dramatic fall of Mr Nasheed.