The expatriate who was granted conditional release following arrest on suspicion of selling used oil discarded by resorts in violation of directions by the Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA) has been identified as an individual married to a Maldivian in the court order.
Maldives Police Service arrested five expatriates from Hulhumale’ in the early hours of Thursday morning during an operation conducted following a tip-off about oil containers being transferred from a dinghy to a pickup truck at the Hulhumalé MPL Container Jetty area.
According to the authority, 46 containers with used oil discarded by resorts were discovered during a search of a boat, a dinghy and a pickup connected to the suspects.
The Police identified the five suspects arrested in connection with the case as all Bangladeshi nationals.
Upon presentation before the court for remand hearings, one of them was granted conditional release, while the remaining four were remanded in custody for 10 days. They are: Al Ameen Boyati, 37, Zulaal Mia, 32, Mohammed Russel Mia 34 and Manvar Hossain, 45.
The court order shows that the suspect, who was granted conditional release – a 43-year-old Bangladeshi man – is married to a Maldivian woman.
According to the court order, he was released because he is married to a Maldivian and residing in the Maldives with a valid visa. The court order further read that evidence had also been submitted to support his claims that he is merely a pickup driver.
However, the conditions under which the suspect was granted conditional release have not been specified. 
In October, MFDA, citing that they have received complaints over the preparation of food in oil discarded by resorts, warned that they will be taking legal action in such cases. There have been many previous cases of cafés and restaurants in Male’ using oil discarded by resorts in their food preparation.