“Why is India dragging its feet in extraditing him when the former Indian high commissioner (TS Trimurti) told me the process to do so was underway?” asked P Ramasamy, who is also Penang deputy chief minister II.

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad last week said Naik would not be handed over to Indian authorities as the preacher had been granted Malaysian permanent resident status.

Indian media earlier speculated that Naik would be deported, but his lawyers denied this, saying their client had not been served any extradition papers.

Ramasamy said the decision not to deport Naik was shocking.

“I am bewildered. What is going on? Unless there is a secret deal between India and Malaysia to call off this extradition?”

He also urged Putrajaya to reveal how Naik was granted permanent resident status at “lightning pace” when other applicants had to wait “years, if not decades”.

Naik met with Mahathir on Saturday.

He has also accused the media in India of subjecting him to a campaign of vilification over the past two years.

“Most of the articles published against me will be proved as having no basis and false,” he said in a video message on his Facebook page.

Zakir Naik to meet Dr M, promises to expose ‘media falsehood’