Once the arrest is made, a formal request for his extradition must be moved by India within the next 60 days, it said.
Malaysia, as per the terms of its extradition agreement with India, would then be obligated to confirm Naik’s location within its jurisdiction and arrest him pending presentation of the extradition request, it added.
The ToI also reported that the NIA would submit a fresh application to Interpol tomorrow for a red corner notice (RCN) against Naik.
A RCN is used to inform all Interpol member countries that the person on the list is wanted based on an arrest warrant or equivalent judicial decision issued by a country or an international tribunal.
Earlier this month, Interpol had rejected the NIA’s first request for a RCN against Naik as no formal charges had been filed against him.
The ToI said as the charge sheet was filed in October, the NIA would now submit a copy of that along with the fresh RCN request.
Naik was charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for heading the Islamic Research Foundation, declared unlawful in India in 2016.
“Even though his Indian passport stands revoked, he continues to possess the document.
“If a foreign country is willing to let him travel abroad on the Indian passport carrying a valid visa issued by the country of destination, nothing can be done to stop him,” an officer was quoted as saying.
“However, once the RCN is issued, the immigration authorities of the country of his location will be obligated to detain him and inform Interpol.
“Besides, in case he has travelled out of Malaysia and is in the jurisdiction of another member state, the RCN notice will also require that member state to detain him and inform Interpol,” the officer added.
On April 18, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had disclosed that Naik had been given Malaysian permanent resident (PR) status more than five years ago.
Naik fled India in 2016, after a suspect in a terror attack on a cafe in Dhaka, Bangladesh, said he had been influenced by Naik’s speeches and Bangladesh banned his Peace TV channel.
ToI reported on Oct 21 that the NIA probe had revealed that Naik had radicalised and influenced several Muslim youngsters towards jihadi activities through his speeches.
The youngsters had then joined violent extremist organisations and planned terror attacks in India, it added.
India to submit fresh request for red notice on Zakir Naik to Interpol
We’re monitoring ‘Zakir Naik situation’, says IGP over extradition