India sends formal request to Malaysia for Zakir Naik extradition

The Indian government has sent a formal request to Malaysia for the extradition of controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, sources told ANI on Thursday.

The Indian government has sent a formal request to Malaysia for the extradition of controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, sources told on Thursday.

"The government has sent a formal request to Malaysia for the extradition of Zakir Naik, and the government is pursuing it," sources said.

Naik, who has been living in Malaysia for the last three years, is facing charges of inciting communal disharmony and committing unlawful activities in India.

He is also facing probe both in India and Bangladesh in connection with the terror attack at the Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka on July 2016.

In September, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had met his Malaysian counterpart Mahathir Mohamad on the sidelines of the 5th East Economic Forum in Russia.

Following their meeting, Indian Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale had said that the two leaders discussed the extradition of Naik.

"Prime Minister Modi raised the issue of Zakir Naik's extradition. Both the parties have decided that our officials will stay in contact regarding the matter and it is an important issue for us," Gokhale had said then.

( With inputs from ANI )