Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has begun taking statements of Criminal Court judges over the case alleging Supreme Court Justice Dr. Azmiralda Zahir attempted to influence the judges of the lower court to ensure the release of her husband who had been arrested.
Azmiralda is currently on suspension alongside fellow Supreme Court Justice Dr. Mahaz Ali Zahir.
JSC suspended three Supreme Court Justices last week, with Husnu al-Suood, who subsequently resigned, being the third one, citing criminal investigations against them by ACC.
Azmiralda’s suspension had come amid rumors on social media claiming Azmiralda attempted to influence the Criminal Court to release her husband, Dr. Ismail Latheef, who was arrested last December.
ACC’s Spokesperson confirmed to Sun that the commission was reviewing such a case and, in this trajectory, was obtaining statements from Criminal Court judges. The Spokesperson declined to provide the names of the judges whose statements have been obtained, citing it was still an ongoing investigation.
In a post on X, Latheef addressed the allegations, explaining that during a police raid at a massage parlor where he was present to receive services, all individuals at the location, including himself, were arrested. He noted that the police had stated in court that he was not suspected of committing any crime. He further emphasized that his wife, Azmiralda, had not attempted to interfere with the case in any way.
In a statement on Thursday, Azmiralda’s legal team reiterated that she had not reached out to any judges to try to influence her husband's release. Instead, the legal team accused individuals in high-ranking government positions of leveraging the case to as an attempt to influence Azmiralda through various institutions.
Notably, JSC summoned Azmiralda for a hearing at 11:00am on Sunday as they reviewed the case against her.
However, her lawyer, Ibrahim Shameel, told Sun that they had been informed by JSC that the hearing has been pushed back to tomorrow.
Shameel noted that a request has been filed on behalf of Azmiralda, seeking open hearings in the cases against her.
JSC suspended three Supreme Court Justices on February 26th, citing criminal investigations against them by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), with Husnu al-Suood, who subsequently resigned, being the third one. 
Suood resigned after bombshell allegations against the government in his resignation letter addressed to the President and JSC.
In this regard, Suood said the Supreme Court had faced numerous pressures from the administration ever since the court established it has jurisdiction to hear a case challenging the contentious amendment to add anti-defection provisions to the Constitution.
With the suspension of the justices, the case remains deadlocked at the top court.
The constitutional amendment in question was submitted, passed and ratified in quick succession on November 20. The controversial amendment added three more circumstances where parliamentarians will lose their seat, including if they are expelled from their political party.
Former Kendhoo MP Ali Hussain, an attorney-at-law, filed a constitutional case with the top court on November 24, arguing that the amendment violates key provisions of the Constitution, as well as the basic structure doctrine.
Ruling PNC-dominated Parliament passed an amendment to the Judicature Act aimed at reducing the Supreme Court bench from seven to five justices while the case was ongoing at the court.
The move to downsize the Supreme Court's bench followed weekslong allegations by the MDP that the government was seeking to dismiss some of the members of the top court’s bench to influence a case challenging a contentious amendment to add anti-defection provisions to the Constitution.
 
The rushed passage of the judicature bill came less than one hour ahead of a hearing scheduled at the Supreme Court regarding a request for an injunction to suspend the enforcement of the anti-defection clauses. The three justices were also suspended shortly before the key hearing.