Foreign ministry spokesman Raveesh Kumar told reporters at a weekly media conference that New Delhi had made a formal request for Naik under an extradition treaty with Malaysia.
“At this stage, our request is under the active consideration of the Malaysian side. Our High Commissioner in Kuala Lumpur is in touch with Malaysian authorities,” he said in a video recording provided to FMT by the satellite news channel Republic TV.
The Hindu newspaper and the Times of India also reported that the extradition request was made in January and the Indian government had pursued the matter through diplomatic channels.
Naik, a televangelist, is wanted by Indian authorities over allegations of money laundering and spreading extremism.
Last year, the then home minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the Malaysian government had not received any extradition application from the Indian government. He said Malaysia would fulfill the request and deport Naik if an application on the basis of mutual legal assistance was made.
Yesterday, Indian media reported that Naik was being deported but the report was denied by Naik and his lawyer Shaharuddin Ali, as well as the Inspector-General of Police Mohamed Fuzi Harun.
“We are yet to receive official confirmation in this regard from Malaysian authorities,” a foreign ministry official was quoted as saying.
Naik is accused of giving provocative speeches, which were cited as a reason by Bangladesh for an attack in Dhaka which left 22 people dead. India’s National Investigation Agency is also investigating Naik’s Islamic Research Foundation, over allegations of money laundering.
He was given permanent resident status in Malaysia by the previous Barisan Nasional government.
Republic TV, a one-year-old free satellite channel, is funded by an MP of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.