NRI Islamic preacher Zakir Naik on Tuesday expressed his willingness to return to India if the Supreme Court gave him in writing that he will not be arrested and jailed till he is actually convicted.
In a statement, the Islamic speaker and debater said that while he has trust in the Indian judiciary, he had no faith in the prosecution system.
“Despite allegations and complaints, there is not a single verdict against me in any court anywhere in India or the world. The recent history of India is replete with cases of Muslims being arrested and put in jail for eight-20 years before being declared innocent by the court. Knowing this record of the Indian agencies, I would not like to take chance of ruining my life and my unfinished work,” Naik asserted.
He was responding to the latest developments in India where the Enforcement Directorate (ED) – which has charged him with a Rs 193 crore money-laundering case – is planning to get a Mumbai court issue a non-bailable arrest warrant.
If the warrant is issued, the ED will send a petition to the InterPol seeking a red corner notice (RCN) to all member-countries, including Malaysia, demanding he be extradited to India as per the extradition treaty between the two nations.
On Monday, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said that his country “has a right not to extradite” Naik if he is not going to get a free trial in India.
Against this backdrop, Naik wondered what was the reason behind the desperation of the Indian agencies, that is “shameful and keep shifting focus from terror to money-laundering” to make something stick to him.
“I want to hasten up clearing my name from fictitious charges by the Indian agencies, they continue an exercise steeped in injustice and unfairness and are trying to put in jail irrespective of whether I am guilty or not… without trial and without hearing,” Naik alleged.
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