IRF employee’s custody key for probing Naik
MUMBAI: The Mumbai police, probing the case of alleged radicalisation involving Islamic Research Foundation’s (IRF) guest relation officer Arshi Qureshi, said his questioning will be the key to ascertain the possible role of preacher Zakir Naik in the case.
Naik and his non-profit IRF came under the scanner of three investigating agencies in two separate cases within a month after 21 youths from Kerala went missing and are feared to have joined the terror outfit Islamic State (IS).
Qureshi, being booked in cases of conversion and radicalisation, has made the allegations sensitive, officials said. The Mumbai crime branch is awaiting his custodial interrogation that would throw light on several aspects. Qureshi is currently in the Kerala police’s custody. “Qureshi was working with the IRF for a considerable time and was also in direct touch with Naik. However, Naik’s role, if any, will be ascertained after we get Qureshi,” said a police officer.
Qureshi, along with Rizwan Khan, a maulavi, was arrested by the Kerala police and is currently in their custody in connection with a case of forceful conversion.
Abdul Kader Khan, 60, a Mumbai resident, alleged that his son Ashfaqueue left home and joined the IS after he was radicalised by Qureshi, Rizwan, Haneef and Abdul Rashid. Rashid allegedly joined the IS with Ashfaqueue and Haneef and is untraceable.
While officials said the Mumbai case is of radicalisation and not conversion, the investigators said all aspects being probed by the agencies are interlinked.
“It starts with the money flowing here in the form of donations and later it’s utilisation. In between the flow and usage comes the complaints of Kerala and Nagpada (Mumbai), of conversion and radicalisation. The probe is on to join the loose ends,” added the officer.