KUALA LUMPUR: Controversial cosmetics entrepreneur Muhammad Sajjad Kamaruz Zaman, also known as Nur Sajat, has been reportedly arrested by Thai immigration on Sept 8.
He was detained following a tip-off on his whereabouts by Malaysian authorities.
Souces revealed to Harian Metro that Nur Sajat, 36, was apprehended at a luxury condominium in Bangkok, where he had been staying with a local man.
The source alleged that the entrepreneur had been in hiding at the residence since early March.
The source said a raid was carried out at the location on Sept 8 at around 6pm local time, afterwhich Thai immigration confirmed the entrepreneur is the individual on the run wanted by the Malaysian authorities.
It was also alleged by the source that Nur Sajat's passport was invalid as it had been revoked by the Malaysian government.
The source added that the entrepreneur was then brought and detained at the Thai immigration headquarters for immigration related offences.
On Sept 9, the source said the entrepreneur was charged in a Thai court and was released the next day on a USD$2,000 bail (RM8,343), according to a social media posting by his friend only known as Misha.
When asked on his current whereabouts, the source said the entrepreneur had returned to reside in the Bangkok condominium.
Although Nur Sajat was released on bail, the entrepreneur has been instructed to report to the Thai Immigration authorities every two weeks, the source said adding that the Malaysian authorities were in talks with the Thai government to extradite Nur Sajat.
Efforts are currently underway to bring Nur Sajat back to Malaysia to stand trial at the Syariah Court in Selangor for the offense of cross-dressing which took place in Shah Alam back in 2018, according to the source.
"The negotiations are taking a difficult turn due to interferences by an organisation to prevent the extradition, as well as Thailand's jurisdiction on the matter," said the source.