Indira claims Zakir Naik supporters helping ex-husband hide daughter

M Indira Gandhi's (photo, above) struggle to be reunited with her missing daughter Prasana Diksa continues with a rights group today claiming that her ex-husband, who had abducted the daughter, was receiving assistance from three groups.

Indira Gandhi Action Team (Ingat) spokesperson Arun Doraisamy said three groups, including supporters of controversial preacher Zakir Naik, have been assisting Indira's ex-husband Muhammad Riduan Abdullah, who is wanted by the police.

He said Indira lodged a report at Petaling Jaya police station this morning with the hopes that an investigation will be carried out to verify the information they received through public tip-offs.

"The police report lodged today was based on the latest information we received last week," he told a press conference together with Indira at Wisma Hindu Sangam in Petaling Jaya.

Aside from Zakir's supporters, the report also alleged the involvement of PAS-friendly NGOs and southern Thailand separatists in sheltering and aiding Riduan.

"From 2009 until now, we know there are PAS-friendly groups. Before I say this today, I thought about it a few times but (now) I have to say it out loud.

"The new information we received (also) indicated a group of Zakir Naik's followers (helping Riduan)," he said.

Arun claimed the aid given to Riduan, who is said to be jobless, included monetary assistance and logistics.

As for the southern Thailand separatist groups, he claimed Ingat was informed that they had assisted Riduan to leave Kelantan and get past the border despite not having a valid passport.

Despite police's failure to locate Riduan and enforce a court order for him to return Prasana to Indira, Arun claimed the groups also supported Riduan’s movement from Kelantan to Golok, including the latter's new wife and their children.

"People have sighted him. It’s a small village, so people are reluctant to confirm his identity," said Arun, adding that Ingat and Indira had presented all the information they received to former inspector-general of police Mohamad Fuzi Harun during a meeting at Bukit Aman on April 19, this year.

"We have a sighting. If previously we were worried if the child (Prasana) was still alive or not, now we are quite confident that she is," he added.

Indira, in her police report, also urged authorities to investigate a 27-year-old woman for allegedly abetting Riduan's abduction of Prasana a decade ago.

Both Arun and Indira insisted that the case had gone beyond the issue of forced conversion.

"If she wants to continue her life as a Muslim, that is her choice.

"It does not matter whether she is Muslim or not, she (Prasana) is still her (Indira's) daughter," said an emotional Arun.

Indira also teared up as she insisted that her only wish is to be reunited with Prasana.

Riduan also unilaterally converted his three children, including Prasana, to Islam in 2009.

A lengthy legal battle between Riduan and Indira had ensued involving both the syariah and civil courts.

Indira’s two eldest children now live with her, but the whereabouts of Prasana and her father remain unknown.

In February, Mohamad Fuzi said information had not been forthcoming from the public despite various appeals for help made by the police.

In 2014, the High Court issued an arrest warrant for Riduan but the police were unable to locate him.

Last year, the Federal Court unanimously declared the children’s unilateral conversion to Islam to be unlawful.

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