Interpol refuses to issue Red Corner notice against controversial preacher Zakir Naik
New Delhi, July 28 (IBNS): The Interpol has refused to issue Red Corner notice against controversial Indian televangelist Zakir Naik, who is currently in Malaysia, media reports said.
The global police body cited lack of evidence and any proof of wrongdoing as the reasons behind its decision to not issue the notice. Interpol has further instructed all its offices to delete all data on Dr Naik from its files, reported Times Now.
According to the report published by the news channel, in a letter dated July 22, Interpol said Naik is “not subject to an Interpol Red Notice or diffusion”.
The controversial televangelist is avoiding coming to India since 2016 amid accusations of spreading extremism.
Naik is also accused of radicalising a group of teenagers who carried out a terror attack in Bangladesh in 2016.
The preacher, who founded the Islamic Research Foundation and runs a satellite television channel PeaceTV – both banned in India – is being sought by authorities and agencies in India for questioning on charges of money-laundering and spreading extremism.
Naik is facing a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) after his sermons have been attributed as a reason by Bangladesh for an attack in Dhaka in 2016 which claimed 22 lives.
India had recently requested Malaysia to extradiate the preacher.
MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar had earlier said: "Government of India has made a formal request for the extradition of Dr Zakir Naik. We would continue to pursue the matter with Malaysia".
He further said - "India has extradition arrangements with many nations. In the past, there are numerous cases of successful extradition to India. The fairness of the Indian justice system has never been in question".
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad recently sparked off a row when he said: “Zakir in general feels that he is not going to get a fair trial in India".
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