Interpol again refuses red notice against Zakir Naik on India request

LONDON: Interpol has again refused Red Corner Notice against Dr. Zakir Naik instructing all Interpol offices to delete all files and information on the Indian Islamic preacher who fled India a few years ago.

The Interpol has told India it decided to issue the notice due to lack of evidence and any proof of wrong doing, a spokesman of Naik in London stated sharing the official correspondence.

The decision was taken by the Interpol’s Commission in its 109th session held on 01 to 05 July 2019, according to an official paper seen by The News. Subsequently, the Interpol General Secretariat deleted all data pertaining to Dr. Naik on 15 July 2019, as per a letter from Interpol’s Commission for Control of Files.

The Interpol’s decision comes as a setback to the Indian government that has been persistently trying to get the international police to issue a red corner notice against the preacher who has been accused of radical preaching - a claim Naik rejects. This is the third attempt of the Indian government in convincing the Interpol of criminal charges against Dr Naik. Its first attempt was back in mid-2017. The Indian government had multiple meetings and presentations with the Interpol team in New Delhi in the last twelve months, the source claimed here.

In a letter addressed to Dr Zakir Naik, the Interpol’s Commission Secretariat stated that “after a thorough examination of the elements before it, the Commission found that the data (read “charges”) challenged raised questions as to compliance with applicable rules”. The statement implies that the charges and allegations against Dr. Naik were unsubstantiated and vague, and the Indian authorities had failed to follow the due process of Interpol’s rules of charges and proof submission.

The Session was listening to the charges made by the Indian government through the NCB of India against Dr Zakir Naik of “promoting enmity between two different religious groups on grounds of religion and doing acts prejudicial to the maintenance of harmony, being a member of unlawful Association etc."

The Indian government, through the MHA had banned Dr Zakir Naik and his organisation, the Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) in November 2016. Following the ban, all the operations of IRF were stopped, and all the staff relieved of their duties.

Since the ban in 2016, the Indian government has accused Naik of both charges of terrorism and charges of money laundering. Naik denies both charges and says accusations are politically motivated.