Special NIA team orders attachment of five Mumbai properties owned by Zakir Naik

A special National Investigation Agency Court in Mumbai has ordered the attachment of five properties in Mazagaon belonging to radical Islamic preacher Zakir Naik in connection with matter of unlawful activities of his banned NGO, the Islamic Research Foundation.

Naik, who left India in July, 2016, is wanted on terror and money laundering charges. In January, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) made a formal request to Malaysia to deport Naik.

Malaysia is yet to take a call on extraditing controversial preacher Zakir Naik to India and the matter could end up being decided by the country's courts, a senior Malaysian minister told External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj Monday when she raised the issue during a meeting here.

Malaysia's Minister of Human Resources M Kula Segaran, who is on an India visit, said Swaraj sought Naik's early extradition during a meeting here.

"She was asking for the latest on Zakir Naik, whether he will be deported from Malaysia, I did say that no final decision has been taken by the Malaysian government," he told PTI.

He also told Swaraj that the Malaysian government could also leave it to the courts to decide.

Asked how the extradition request could progress according to Malaysia's laws, he said, "If the government decides to deport him, that is end of the matter for us, but Zakir Naik can still challenge (it). If the government decides not to deport, we can refer it to the court and ask the court to decide the matter." Malaysia will ensure necessary "justice and fairplay" in the matter, he asserted.