India expresses concern over Maldivian ex-president's sentencing

India on Saturday expressed concern over the sentencing of former Maldivian president Mohamed Nasheed to 13 years in prison for the military's detention of Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed in January 2012.

"India deeply concerned at developments in Maldives, monitoring situation closely," Syed Akbaruddin, spokesman of the external affairs ministry, tweeted.

The verdict was delivered at the final hearing on Friday night.

Delivering the verdict, Judge Abdulla Didi said the prosecution's evidence proved beyond reasonable doubt that Nasheed ordered the chief judge's arrest or "forceful abduction" and detention on Girifushi Island, according to Minivan News.

Nasheed was the "architect" of the "atrocity", Judge Didi said.

Nasheed was first charged in 2012 with arbitrary detention, which carries either banishment or a jail term of up to three years.

On February 15, Prosecutor General Muhthaz Muhsin withdrew the charges filed in the Hulhumale Magistrate Court. Nasheed was arrested on February 22 shortly after the prosecutor general filed terrorism charges in the Criminal Court.