India sends formal request to Malaysia for Zakir Naik extradition

Zakir Naik is facing a probe in India and Bangladesh in connection with the terror attack at the Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka in July 2016. Naik has been living in Malaysia for the last three years.

New Delhi: The Indian government has sent a formal request to Malaysia for the extradition of controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, sources told ANI on Thursday.

"The government has sent a formal request to Malaysia for the extradition of Zakir Naik, and the government is pursuing it," sources said.

Naik, who has been living in Malaysia for the last three years, is facing charges of inciting communal disharmony and committing unlawful activities in India.

He is also facing probe both in India and Bangladesh in connection with the terror attack at the Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka in July 2016.

In September, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had met his then Malaysian counterpart, Mahathir Mohamad, on the sidelines of the 5th East Economic Forum in Russia.

Following their meeting, Indian Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale had said that the two leaders discussed the extradition of Naik.

"Prime Minister Modi raised the issue of Zakir Naik's extradition. Both the parties have decided that our officials will stay in contact regarding the matter and it is an important issue for us," Gokhale had said then.

ANI