Amid media reports claiming that Indian fugitive Zakir Naik is set to be deported from Oman, the controversial religious preacher on Thursday released a statement claiming that he safely reached the Islamic nation and received a warm welcome there.
Naik, who as per many media reports was under the threat of detention and deportation, released a statement via social media saying he has arrived safely in Oman and thanked the government for giving him the warm welcome. He also praised the protocols followed during his arrival.
The security detail and statement released by Naik in a video message negate all news reports about detention and deportation.
Zakir Abdul Karim Naik, a 57-year-old fundamentalist Islamic preacher fled India in 2016. In India, he is facing charges of spreading hatred and money laundering.
When confronted with allegations of hate speech, Naik has consistently maintained that his statements are “twisted” and “misrepresented”. His speeches are broadcast on the channel Peace TV, which is banned in India, Canada, the UK, and Bangladesh.
Zakir Naik gained international prominence when one of the accused in the 2016 Dhaka Cafe attack, which killed 22 people, said he was inspired by Naik’s speeches.
The same year, India’s counterterrorism agency filed a complaint against Naik, accusing him of promoting religious enmity and other unlawful activities. On November 17, 2016, the IRF was declared an unlawful organisation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (37 of 1967) by the Centre.
