CONTROVERSIAL Islamic preacher Dr Zakir Naik said Interpol’s third refusal to issue a red notice against him shows that India’s complaints against him are trumped up and fictitious.

“It should not surprise even the Indian agencies, who know in their hearts that their charges are trumped up and fictitious,” he said in a video statement issued to The Malaysian Insight.

“You can’t get Interpol to play your political, communal game. It needs proof of your claims and the reason why it continues to refuse a red notice is because the Indian agencies are unable to provide proof.

A letter dated July 22 signed by Secretariat to the Commission for the Control of Interpol’s Files said that Zakir is “not subject to an Interpol red notice or diffusion”.

It said the decision was made after the commission’s 109th session, held from July 1 to 5.

“After a thorough examination of the elements before it, the commission found that the data challenged raised questions as to compliance with applicable rules,” said the letter, a copy of which was provided to The Malaysian Insight by Zakir’s office in India.

Zakir said that his lawyers had told him that when charges of terrorism are involved, Interpol rarely refused a red corner notice.

“For it to refuse a red notice in my case shows how flimsy the Indian government’s charges have been against me.

“Having said that, being on Interpol’s list does not automatically make you a terrorist. There’s still a fair trial and court verdict needed for that.”

Zakir said even Indian officers handing his case know he has not committed any crime.

“They continue because they are forced to by their political bosses. They continue to waste their time and taxpayers’ money over a political agenda of the ruling party, when they should be going after real criminals and solving real crimes.”

Interpol publishes red notices at the request of member countries. A red notice does not amount to an international arrest warrant, it serves to say the person is wanted.

Zakir said if three years is not enough to gather evidence against him, then the chances are it does not exist.

“All the officers need to do is to gather enough courage to refuse to be drawn into political games.

“All that they need to do is to follow the truth. Develop a spine and stick to the truth.

“I don’t say that, it’s what the Upanishads and Vedas say. If the officers, BJP ministers and even PM (Narendra Modi) follow the teachings of their own scriptures – the way I follow the Quran – India would become the great country that it was.”

He slammed the Modi government, questioning what it would gain by falsely implicating him

“I’m not even sure for how long this witch hunt will continue. What I’m sure of is that truth is on my side and Interpol’s decision shows that the truth is already winning.”

New Delhi in November 2016 banned Zakir and his Islamic Research Foundation.

It has since moved between charges of terrorism and money laundering against the preacher, who has been granted permanent resident status in Malaysia, where he currently resides. – July 30, 2019.