IPOH, Nov 21 — A High Court judge today rebuked to the police over their “repetitive” efforts to locate Hindu mother M. Indira Gandhi’s ex-husband and her long-lost daughter, ordering them to intensify their search and move beyond their singular focus on Kelantan.

Justice Norsharidah Awang expressed her frustration after reviewing the latest police affidavit, which detailed search efforts that both the court and Indira’s lawyer deemed insufficient and recycled.

“The case has been ongoing for many years. I hope in the next update, police can be more proactive in their investigation,” the judge said during the judicial monitoring of the case.

She instructed the police to widen their search to other states and to liaise with the Immigration Department to “block all entry and exit points in the country” to trace Muhammad Riduan Abdullah, who unilaterally converted his three children to Islam and abducted their youngest, Prasana Diksa, 16 years ago.

In their affidavit, police said they had searched Muhammad Riduan’s second wife’s house in Kelantan in September, checked with Interpol, and made inquiries with several banks. 

They also said they were investigating recent allegations that he has been using the Budi95 fuel subsidy and Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) assistance.

Indira’s lawyer, Rajesh Nagarajan, criticised the police’s update, describing the affidavit as “utterly unacceptable” and “almost identical” to those filed for the past two years.

“What is the point of going all the way to Kelantan to look for Muhammad Riduan when he is clearly not there?” he asked reporters outside the court. 

“And why depend on Interpol when it’s known that he is in Malaysia, using his MyKad, buying subsidised petrol funded by taxpayers and utilising the Sara assistance?”

Previously, checks of Muhammad Riduan’s identity card number against publicly accessible databases showed the utilisation his allocations under the programmes, both of which required verification via MyKad.

Rajesh also pointed out a critical lapse: Muhammad Riduan has still not been placed on the Immigration Department’s blacklist.

The lawyer questioned the police’s request for more time, highlighting the immense personal toll of the case. 

“A mother has been kept away from her daughter for 16 years, and what have the police done? Hasn’t 16 years been long enough?” he said.

The court has fixed February 27 for the next hearing.