Interpol cancels red-corner notice on Zakir Naik

NEW DELHI: After Interpol on Saturday (Dec 16) refused to issue a red-corner notice against controversial Islamic preacher Dr Zakir Naik, India's National Investigation Agency (NIA) says it will submit a fresh request again.

“NIA’s request for (a) red notice against Zakir Naik was not accepted by Interpol as (the) charge sheet had not been filed when the request was submitted to the Interpol headquarters.

“Now NIA will submit a fresh request to Interpol as (the) charge sheet has already been filed in the NIA court concerned in Mumbai,” said an NIA official.

In a statement, Naik’s spokesman said: “Interpol has cancelled (a) red-corner notice on Naik and instructed its worldwide offices to delete all data from files on him, citing political and religious bias among other reasons.”

It also said that after thorough examination, the Interpol commission found that the request from the Indian NCB was not compliant with Interpol’s rules and decided to cancel the Indian government’s request for a red-corner notice.

The Indian government had banned Naik and his organisation Islamic Research Foundation for five years and declaring it an unlawful organisation.

Naik is also accused of spreading hatred through his speeches, funding terror groups and laundering money. The NIA last year had registered a criminal case against him. – The Statesman/Asia News Network