No serious police effort in nabbing Muslim convert ex-husband - Indira

 

“I have not seen my child since 2009. My daughter is now 16 years old. She will soon be 18. What are the authorities waiting for?”

These are the heartfelt words poured out by kindergarten teacher Indira Gandhi over her 15-year quest to be reunited with her daughter Prasana Diksa, who was taken away by her Muslim convert ex-husband K Pathmanathan (Muslim name is Muhammad Riduan Abdullah).

In a media statement issued after attending the Ipoh High Court matter concerning judicial monitoring over the police’s efforts to detain Riduan, she remarked no arrest has taken place after eight years since the civil court issued a committal order for the authorities to arrest him.

Indira noted that she had not seen any concrete evidence or proper investigation by the police to track down and arrest Riduan and recover Prasana.

She pointed out that the Ipoh High Court had previously instructed the Attorney-General’s Chambers to file an affidavit once in three months to show the efforts taken by the police.

“In my opinion, the contents of the affidavits filed by the police for the last four years have been vague and unhelpful in tracing Pathmanathan.

“The investigation process as stated in the affidavits clearly shows that the police have completely and utterly failed to make any serious efforts in locating Pathmanathan.

“This is despite the fact that Pathmanthan is the registered owner of vehicles and has even been summoned for speeding,” she said.

Custody battle

Prasana was an infant when Riduan took her away in 2009 after converting to Islam.

Riduan and Indira were later engaged in a tightly watched interfaith custody battle after he unilaterally converted Prasana and their two other children to Islam.

In 2014, the Ipoh High Court ordered the police to retrieve Prasana from her father. In 2016, the Federal Court ordered the inspector-general of police to arrest Riduan.

In 2018, the Federal Court unanimously ruled that unilateral conversions of children were unlawful as such decisions need permission from both parents. The apex court also issued an arrest warrant for Riduan. - Mkini