The Muslim preacher's aide, Arshi Qureshi, stands accused of radicalising youths to join IS; agency claims he is not cooperating with investigation
Zakir Naik
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A special court is likely to decide today whether the National Investigative Agency (NIA) can conduct a lie detection test on Arshi Qureshi, the guest relationship manager for Zakir Naik's Islamic Research Foundation (IRF). Meanwhile, Qureshi's counsel yesterday expressed objections to the NIA's claim that he was not cooperating with the investigation.
Qureshi is presently in NIA custody, along with Maulana Haneef, a Kerala-based preacher, and Rizwan Khan, who worked as a volunteer with Al-Birr Foundation. They were booked for allegedly radicalising 21 youths from Kerala who fled to join the Islamic State (IS). It is been alleged that Qureshi has brought plane tickets for the youths to help them flee. Mumbai Police registered a case against them after a local resident, Abdul Kader, alleged that Khan and Qureshi radicalised his son Ashfaque to join the IS.
They have been booked under Sections 13 and 38 of the Unlawful Activities and Prevention Act, along with Section 120 B of the IPC. NIA took the custody of the three accused on December 1, after one of them applied for bail when they moved to judicial custody.
NIA counsel Geeta Godambe told Judge VV Patil that Qureshi has concealed several facts, because of which the agency needs to carry out a polygraph test. Qureshi's counsel, Ishrat Khan, told the court that he had been falsely implicated by the Kerala police, adding that Qureshi is fully cooperating with the NIA.
"The court should reject the application, considering past judgments like Selvi and others v/s the State of Karnataka. Conducting a lie detection test on Qureshi will not only be hazardous to his mental health, but also contrary to the law," said the defence.
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