THE Indian government has revoked the passport of fugitive Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, following a recommendation from the country’s National Investigation Agency (NIA).

The revocation by the regional passport office in Mumbai makes Zakir a stateless person, according to the Times of India.

The NIA has already booked Zakir under the country’s Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for terror links after his speeches allegedly incited youth to commit terror acts.

Zakir has been reportedly travelling between Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and other countries after leaving India last year but the revocation of his passport will now restrict his movements, said officials.

Apart from revoking his travel documents, the NIA submitted documents last month to obtain an Interpol Red Notice against Zakir. A Red Notice is to request member police forces of Interpol to arrest a wanted person with a view of extradition to the country that posted the notice.

Zakir’s Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) has been declared an unlawful organisation by India in November last year and a Mumbai court issued a non-bailable warrant against Zakir in April.

Zakir is accused of inciting terrorism through his speeches and teachings.

Indian investigators said a suspected Islamic State militant known as Abu Anas had received Rs150,000 (RM9,993) in scholarship funds from IRF.

Abu Anas was alleged to be part of an IS plot to recruit Muslim youths and identify locations to set up training camps and conduct terror attacks in India.

The government has already banned Zakir’s group and taken his TV channel off air.

During its probe, NIA claimed to have found 37 properties owned by Zakir and companies run by him, which are estimated to be worth more than Rs100 crore.

A special NIA court in Mumbai, while issuing a non-bailable warrant against Zakir, had said that “there are reasonable grounds to believe that he is evading arrest and that he will not voluntarily appear before the court or before the agency”. – July 19, 2017.