Photo: Bernama
PUTRAJAYA: Police will look into the Indira Gandhi child abduction case after reports emerged that fugitive father Muhammad Riduan Abdullah may have received the government’s i-Sara RM100 cash aid, says Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (pic).
The Home Minister confirmed that the matter had been brought to his attention and that the police have been instructed to verify the claim through official channels.
“This is an issue I inherited, but that’s not an excuse. The police will look into it,” he told reporters after attending the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons 2025 event here on Monday (Nov 10).
The allegation has reignited public scrutiny of the long-standing case, with questions raised about how Riduan, who has evaded capture for more than ten years, could appear in government databases linked to the i-Sara cash payout.
The i-Sara initiative provides a one-off RM100 cash aid directly credited to Malaysians’ identification cards.
Should the claim be verified, it could help authorities trace Riduan’s financial or location details, offering a potential breakthrough in the prolonged search.
Saifuddin said he had asked for a detailed police briefing before taking further action.
“Once I receive complete information, I will face the media and provide updates,” he added.
The case began in 2009 when Indira’s ex-husband, formerly known as K. Pathmanathan, embraced Islam, adopted the name Muhammad Riduan Abdullah, and converted their three children without her consent before fleeing with the youngest, Prasana Diksa.
Despite a series of court orders directing police to reunite mother and child, enforcement has remained elusive - making it one of Malaysia’s most protracted custody battles.
