IGP: Zakir Naik won't be extradited tonight

PETALING JAYA: Dr Zakir Naik (pic) will not be extradited to India tonight, the Inspector-General of Police confirms.

Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun denied reports on online news portals, including ones based in India, that the controversial speaker will be handed over to Indian authorities on Wednesday night.

“It is not true. He will not be extradited to India tonight,” he told The Star on Wednesday (July 4).

Indian media had reported that the preacher is being deported on Wednesday.

However, a Malaysian news portal quoted Dr Zakir’s lawyer - Shaharuddin Ali - saying his client have not received any extradition notice.

An Indian news portal - timesnownews.com - had reported that Dr Zakir will be sent back to India but he too, denied it.

In a statement issued through his organisation Islamic Research Foundation, Dr Zakir dismissed reports of his coming back to India as “totally baseless and false”.

He added that he had no plans to return unless he feels safe and is sure of not being subjected to “unfair prosecution”.

Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had also said previously that Dr Zakir is subject to the Malaysian rule of law and he would have to answer to the authorities if he broke any of the nation’s laws.