Indian authorities are in talks with Oman to detain and deport controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, who is scheduled to deliver two lectures in the country later this month. Naik, who is facing charges of money laundering and hate speech in India, has been living in exile in Malaysia since 2017.
According to sources, Indian intelligence agencies are already in contact with Oman authorities to detain Naik during his visit to Oman on March 23. His first lecture, titled “The Quran a Global Necessity,” is scheduled for the first day of Ramadan on March 23, while the second lecture, “Prophet Muhammad [PBUH] A Mercy to Humankind,” is scheduled for March 25.
The Indian embassy in Oman is also in touch with local agencies and is expected to send a legal team to follow up after Naik’s detention. Indian authorities have outlawed Naik’s Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) for promoting or attempting to promote enmity between different religious communities and groups.
Naik, who has a massive following due to his work promoting the Salafi ideology through his Peace TV channel, has been living in Malaysia under permanent residency since 2017. However, Malaysia has also banned him from giving speeches in the interest of national security.
Qatar had previously invited Naik to give religious sermons at the FIFA World Cup 2022, but the invitation was met with criticism due to his controversial statements and past actions. The Indian government has been seeking Naik’s extradition from Malaysia for several years.
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