PUTRAJAYA, July 5 — The police have no immediate plans to deport controversial preacher Dr Zakir Naik, who is wanted in India for a terrorism-related investigation, said Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun said.

He was responding to questions on news reports speculating that authorities here would repatriate Dr Zakir to India for the country’s stalled probe.

Dr Zakir was granted permanent resident status here when the Home Ministry was still headed by current Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

“On PDRM’s side, we will take no action to deport him back, but I can’t speak for other enforcement agencies.

“But as far as I know, we will not be taking any action to return Dr Zakir back to India in the next one or two days,” he told reporters at Home Ministry’s open house here today.

Dr Zakir, who has been staying in Malaysia since 2016, denied last night reports by Indian media that he was about to be sent home.

In a statement through the Islamic Research Foundation, he said he will only return to India when he feels safe from “unfair prosecution”.

The 52-year-old is wanted by India’s National Investigation Agency for “promoting enmity and hatred between different religious groups in India through public speeches and lecture”.