Mumbai, May 20: Renowned Islamic preacher and Indian televangelist Dr Zakir Naik has been granted Saudi Arabian nationality by Saudi King Salman, according to reports.
Sources claimed that the Islamic scholar was granted Saudi citizenship to escape potential arrest amidst reports that Prime Minister Narendra Modi led government in India is allegedly trying to implicate him in false cases.
Indian law enforcement agencies were reportedly about to revoke his passport, request Interpol to issue arrest warrant and make him return to the country. To escape the arrest, the Islamic preacher stayed in Malaysia where he was touring at the moment and decided not to return to India.
It should be noted that the Malaysian government too had awarded him permanent residency status five years ago.
The Islamic scholar is currently staying in Saudi Arabia. New Delhi had certainly not expected the Saudi government to make such a move. Reports claim that Saudi King Salman helped Zakir Naik attain the citizenship.
Zakir Naik, 51, an NRI, did not visit India after media launched a massive hate campaign against him last year and linked him to Dhaka terror attack without any basis.
Following the Dhaka attack, the NIA had registered a case against him and some officials of his organisation, Islamic Research Foundation, under section 153-A of IPC (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion) and the UAPA.
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