Modi did not ask for Zakir's extradition

Kuala Lumpur/New Delhi : Malaysian PM Mahathir Mohamad said that his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi did not request the extradition of Zakir Naik, but India rebutted, saying the issue did come up when the two leaders met in Russia this month.

Naik, a 53-year-old radical television preacher, left India in 2016 and subsequently moved to the largely Muslim Malaysia, where he was granted permanent residency.

Mahathir said that Modi, whom he met in Russia during an economic forum earlier this month, made no extradition request for the controversial Islamic televangelist despite official notice from New Delhi.

In a media briefing on Tuesday in New Delhi, Foreign Minister S Jaishankar said Naik's extradition issue had indeed come up during prime minister Modi's meeting with Malaysian counterpart in Vladivostok.

Jaishankar said India has already placed a request with Malaysia for Naik's extradition in January.