Zakir has been granted citizenship by King Salman Abdulaziz Al-Saud to prevent his arrest by Interpol, the Middle East Monitor reported yesterday.

The 51-year-old Zakir is wanted in India for alleged terrorism financing and money laundering and authorities there are moving to revoke his passport and to have Interpol issue a red corner notice, which is akin to an international arrest warrant.

In March, India’s National Investigation Agency had issued a notice for Zakir to return to the country for questioning. He failed to do so.

The authorities there have also filed a money-laundering case against Zakir, while his Mumbai-based Islamic Research Foundation has been accused of inciting Muslims and promoting enmity between different communities.

He is reported to have been barred from entering Canada and the United Kingdom for his alleged support of terrorist activities.

In June last year, Bangladesh banned Zakir’s channel Peace TV following allegations that it had incited terrorism.

On April 18, Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi revealed that Zakir had been given permanent residency status in the country more than five years ago.