By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter
International Criminal Police Organisation, or Interpol, has cancelled its Red Corner notice against Islamic preacher and televangelist Dr Zakir Naik and instructed all its officers to delete all data from their files regarding Zakir Naik.
The order came after the Interpol’s 102nd session held between October 24-27, 2017. All the files pertaining to Naik were finally removed from Interpol on November 9. However, the news of this came late because Interpol informed Naik’s legal firm Corker Binning, based in London, UK only on December 11.
A Red Notice is a request to locate and provisionally arrest an individual pending extradition. It is issued by the General Secretariat at the request of a member country or an international tribunal based on a valid national arrest warrant. It is not an international arrest warrant.
Interpol Session’s findings read as, “Action against him based on these vague assertions wrongfully inhibits his freedom of expression and freedom of religion.”
“He has repeatedly condemned terrorism and terrorist violence, which can be seen through his teachings which are freely available and readily open to scrutiny and supervision by moderators,” said Interpol.
However, Interpol seemingly has missed the point where National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed charge sheet against Naik in October. It said, “NCB stated that a charge sheet has not yet been filed against the applicant.”
NIA filed charge sheet against Naik on October 26, the day when Interpol’s 102nd session was on. The charge sheet was filed under the section 10 UA(P) Act and Sections 120B, 153A, 295A, 298 and 505(2) of Indian Penal Code.
52-year-old Naik, who is currently living outside India, was charged by the NIA for his alleged influence over the terrorists responsible for a shootout in Dhaka, Bangladesh last year.
NIA registered a case against Naik on November 1, 2016, in Mumbai. Zakir Naik has been residing out of India since July 1, 2016, and has offered investigative agencies to question him through Skype or digital means, but agencies have been pushing Naik to come to India.
According to experts, cancellation of red corner notice against Naik may lead to problems in the extradition process of Naik. However, reports claim that the Indian government is yet to make any request for the extradition of Naik from Malaysia.