NEW DELHI: Indian news agencies have claimed that Islamic preacher Dr Zakir Naik, who is wanted by Indian authorities, could be arrested in Oman and deported to his home country.
Indian news channel News18, citing Indian intelligence sources, claimed that Oman authorities had been asked to detain Zakir when he arrived in the country today, where he is scheduled to deliver a sermon.
Reports claimed that the Indian embassy in Oman are working with local authorities to detain and deport Zakir to India. The embassy, it was alleged, are preparing a legal team to manage the process.
Zakir was scheduled to deliver two religious sermons in Oman.
The first sermon is scheduled to be held today on the first day of Ramadhan whole the second is slated to be held on Marvh 25 at the Sultan Qaboos University.
However, Zakir, via a Facebook post today, showed no signs of concern over the issue.
In his posting, he merely said that he had arrived safely in Muscat from Kuala Lumpur. He also thanked the Oman government for the invitation and called on both Muslims and non-Muslims to attend his talks.
Zakir currently lives in Malaysia after fleeing India in 2016 when his organisation, Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), was banned.
He was accused by the authorities of propagating racial strife, funding terrorism, money laundering and hate speech.
His television channel, Peace TV, was subsequently banned in India, Bangladesh, Canada, Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom following allegations that it was peddling hate propaganda.
In 2016, a terrorist involved in the deadly attack in Gulshan Thana, Dhaka had claimed that he was influenced by Zakir's teachings.