India still trying to extradite Zakir Naik, says minister

PETALING JAYA: India’s external affairs minister has given an assurance that the government is in the midst of undertaking measures to seek the extradition of fugitive preacher Zakir Naik from Malaysia.

General (Rtd) VK Singh said this in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of India’s Parliament, the United News of India reported.

Earlier this month, Interpol turned down India’s request for a red corner notice against Naik as no formal charges had been filed against him.

It said the laying of a charge was the basic requirement for seeking someone’s extradition, according to the Indian government’s own rules.

A red notice is used to inform all Interpol member countries that the person on the list is wanted, based on an arrest warrant or equivalent judicial decision issued by a country or an international tribunal.

VK Singh said the request for the extradition process had been submitted to the National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) special court in Mumbai as the NIA was investigating Naik’s cases.

It would then be sent to the external affairs ministry to be forwarded to Putrajaya under the India-Malaysia Extradition Treaty, he said.

On Dec 17, the Press Trust of India (PTI) reported that the NIA would file a fresh request to Interpol after a charge sheet was filed in the special court.

On April 18, Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had disclosed that Naik had been given Malaysian permanent resident (PR) status more than five years ago.

The home ministry said Naik was not receiving “special treatment” although he enjoyed the PR status.

In a written answer to DAP’s Seputeh MP Teresa Kok on Oct 31, it said there was no reason to arrest him for alleged terrorism as he had not violated any Malaysian laws.

“Besides, the government has not received any official request from the Indian government in relation to allegations that he was involved in terrorism activities,” it said.

Naik fled India in 2016, after a suspect in a terror attack on a Dhaka cafe in Bangladesh said he had been influenced by Naik’s speeches. Bangladesh then banned his Peace TV channel.

The Times of India reported on Oct 21 that NIA’s probe had revealed that Naik had radicalised and influenced several Muslim youngsters towards jihadi activities through his speeches.

The youngsters had then joined violent extremist organisations and planned terror attacks in India, it claimed. FMT