Farhad Fikury Appointed as Acting Commissioner Following Naveen’s Retirement

Deputy Commissioner of Police Farhad Fikury has been appointed Acting Commissioner of the Maldives Police Service (MPS) today, following the retirement of Commissioner of Police Ismail Naveen yesterday.

MPS said Farhad was appointed to the position by Minister of Homeland Security and Technology Ali Ihusaan, citing Article 58(c) of the Police Service Act. Farhad has previously been appointed twice as Acting Commissioner, first on 25 November 2023 and again on 26 April 2025.

Ismail Naveen confirmed his retirement in a post on Facebook after 32 years of service. He described it as a privilege to serve the country and said he left the service “with respect for the badge, faith in the institution, and love for the country”. His retirement coincided with the first day of Ramadan 1447.

Naveen joined the police service on 7 July 1994 and held a range of operational, investigative, administrative, and support roles during his career. He was appointed Commissioner of Police on 10 June 2025, having previously served as Deputy Commissioner.

Farhad’s appointment comes despite a previous reversal in 2025, when he was named Acting Commissioner but replaced within an hour by then-Deputy Commissioner Ismail Naveen following public criticism over allegations that Farhad had destroyed evidence linked to a rape investigation involving his son. According to Parliament’s 241 Committee, a mobile phone seized in 2018 as part of the investigation allegedly contained videos and photographs that were later deleted. The committee stated that the criminal investigation found Farhad had removed material from the device and destroyed additional evidence.

The case has been forwarded to the Prosecutor General’s Office for criminal charges. However, the Prosecutor General’s Office has informed the police that key evidence required to prosecute the case has been destroyed.