Mumbai Police likely to submit report on Zakir Naik next week

The Kerala Anti-Terrorism Squad, in a joint operation with Maharashtra ATS, arrested one person from Navi Mumbai on Thursday for his alleged role in the disappearance of Kerala residents suspected to have joined the Islamic State (IS).

Qureshi was picked up from his Navi Mumbai residence last night and placed under arrest in connection with a case registered in Kochi on July 17.

Arshid Qureshi was arrested after the police raided a flat in Seawoods, Navi Mumbai. DCP, ATS, Dhananjay Kulkarni, said the accused, Arshi Qureshi was produced before a special court in Sewri that granted transit remand to the Kerala Police.

Ebin Jacob (25), the brother of Merin alias Mariam who is missing along with her husband Bestin Vincent alias Yahia from Kerala, had told police that there was an attempt to forcibly convert him to Islam and make him join IS.

If Qureshi’s links with IRF is established, this could be the first arrest of a member of televangelist Naik’s organisation, which is under scanner since two of the Bangladesh cafe attackers said they were inspired by his preachings. Ebin’s statement said he was taken to Mumbai by Bestin, who had been indoctrinated in 2014. “It was Bestin who compelled Ebin to come to Mumbai and meet Qureshi”, Kerala’s Ernakulam ACP K V Vijayan, the investigating officer said. He identified the person as Arshid Qureshi.

The Kerala Police acted on a complaint given by Ebin Jacob.

A case was registered against him in Kerala last month after parents of one of the 15 youngsters, who went missing and were suspected to have joined the ISIS, alleged that he played a key part in their recruitment. “I too was taken to meet with Zakir Naik”, he claimed in the complaint.