Interpol tips off Telangana police for nabbing 'Kerala's Zakir Naik'

HYDERABAD: The managing director of Kochi-based Peace International School, MM Akbar, who was on the run for inciting communal hatred by preaching objectionable content in the school, was detained by Immigration officials of Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) on Sunday.

Akbar, who is also known as Kerala’s Zakir Naik, was nabbed by the Immigration officials based on a tip-off from Interpol and Telangana Intelligence officials. He was handed over to the state police for temporary custody. A team of police team from Kerala would arrive in the city on Monday and take him into their custody.

In 2016, Akbar went absconding from Kerala after the police registered criminal cases against him for breaking communal harmony. He allegedly preached fundamentalism and motivated school children towards the ISIS. In fact, a probe conducted by the Kerala Education Department found that the school did not follow textbooks of NCERT, CBSE or SCERT.

Meanwhile, Akbar took refuge in Dubai and the Kerala police sought assistance from Interpol to issue a lookout notice.

Sources said, "State Intelligence and Interpol officials received information that Akbar was flying from Australia to Dubai. The flight made a transit halt in Hyderabad and Akbar was supposed to take the connecting flight to Dubai on Monday,’’ sources said Express. 

"We have informed Kerala police (about Akbar being nabbed) and they are on their way to the city to take Akbar into their custody,'' officials said.