'Zakir Naik Fugitive from Justice, Taken up Matter with Oman Govt': MEA on Preacher's Deportation

Radical Islamist preacher Zakir Naik is a fugitive from justice with numerous cases against him and the Indian government is taking up the matter with Oman to bring him back to India, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday amid reports over his deportation.

“Zakir Naik is an accused in numerous cases in India. He is a fugitive from justice. We have taken up the matter with the Govt of Oman and Oman authorities,” MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.

News18 earlier reported that Zakir Naik is likely to be deported from Oman and Indian intelligence agencies are already in touch with Oman authorities to detain Naik during his visit on March 23.

“We will continue to take all necessary measures to bring him to face justice in India,” Arindam Bagchi added in response to a question over his presence in Oman and extradition.

Sources told News18 that the local Indian embassy is in touch with agencies to detain and eventually deport him under the local laws. They added that there was a strong possibility that local authorities oblige to their request and detain him.

However, according to a report in The Quint, Zakir Naik’s lawyer Mubin Solkar has categorically denied the reports of his deportation.

Naik arrived in Oman on Wednesday and will deliver two lectures in Oman.

“The Ministry represented by the Department of Introducing Islam and Cultural Exchange in the Iftaa Office, is organising a lecture by the preacher Dr. Zakir Naik, entitled “The Holy Qur’an is a Global Necessity,” on the evening of Thursday, Ramadan 1, 1444 AH, corresponding to March 23, 2023, at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Center (Madinat Al-Irfan Theatre),” The Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs (MERA) of Oman said in a tweet in Arabic.

The second lecture “Prophet Muhammad [PBUH] A Mercy to Humankind” is scheduled at Sultan Qaboos University on Saturday.

Earlier, Qatar had invited Naik to give religious sermons at the FIFA World Cup 2022. Naik, who faces charges of money laundering and hate speech in India, has been living in exile in Malaysia since 2017, as a runaway fugitive.

The Indian government banned Naik’s Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) in 2016 on the basis that he had incited and supported the group’s members in their efforts to sow enmity, hostility, and other unfavourable feelings among diverse religious communities and groups.

Naik migrated to Malaysia after departing from India. Malaysia had ruled out deporting Naik unless he broke Malaysian laws.

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