The Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad stated the controversial preacher Zakir Naik would not be sent back to India. Naik is wanted in India for terror related activities and hate speech.
Naik left India in 2016 and moved to Malaysia where he gained permanent residency. In January 2017, the Ministry of External Affairs in India sent a formal request to the Malaysian Government to extradite Naik. The Ministry has been pursuing the extradition request through diplomatic channels.
PM Mahathir in a press conference said, “As long as he is not creating any problem, we will not deport him because he has been given permanent residency status.”
The National Investigation Agency and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) have been probing into Naik. The preacher is accused of instigating the attack in Dhaka 2016 where 22 people were killed.
The ED is investigating money laundering allegations through Naik’s NGO Islamic Research Foundation (IRF.) The NGO was declared unlawful in 2016 after the probe began against Naik. The money laundered through the NGO is estimated at Rs. 18 crores.
Also read: Zakir Naik Press Conference: I Did Not Inspire Any Terrorist
