Another summons for Zakir Naik: Will he turn up this time?

Zakir Naik continues to evade the NIA. Will he turn up for questioning this time?

The National Investigation Agency has issued yet another summons to controversial Islamic preacher Dr Zakir Naik. Incidentally, this is the third summons in the past two months and Naik has been told to appear before the agency on April 17.

Naik, suspected to be in Saudi Arabia, has dodged the summons issued to him on previous occasions. The NIA had earlier rejected his request to depose through video conferencing while stating that since the charges were serious, the option could not be granted.

Naik had left India and has been living in Saudi Arabia for the past 10 months. He has been repeatedly asked by the NIA to join the probe. He had been told to appear before the NIA on March 14 and when he refused to do so, the agency had given him another date on March 30.

The NIA now plans on moving the court to seek a warrant against him. The warrant would be served on him through the ministry for Home and external affairs. If he fails to turn up, then the extradition process against him would begin, NIA sources say.

OneIndia News