KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 18 ― Police today admitted that they have yet to identify the whereabouts of Pathmanathan Krishnan @ Muhammad Riduan Abdullah, the Muslim convert former husband of Hindu mother M. Indira Gandhi, nor their daughter whom he abducted nine years ago.
Criminal investigations director Commissioner Datuk Seri Wan Ahmad Najmuddin Mohd stressed that efforts to track down Pathmanathan ― who is probably now going by his Muslim name Muhammad Riduan ― have been ongoing since May 20, 2014 when a warrant was issued by the High Court in Ipoh, Perak.
“Even though a media statement was issued previously requesting cooperation from the public, and even from Pathmanathan Krishnan @ Muhammad Riduan Abdullah, to contact the police, those efforts have failed.
“At the same time, police have informed the lawyer representing M. Indira Gandhi about every step taken by the police to trace the person named and their child,” the senior policeman said in a statement.
He said the police are issuing a fresh request for anyone with any information on Pathmanathan @ Muhammad Riduan to step forward and offer their help to resolve the case.
The police response comes two months after Indira made an open plea to the Inspector-General of Police to be kept abreast of developments in the hunt for her ex-husband and youngest child Prasana Diksa, whom she last saw nine years ago when the girl was 11 months old.
The mother of three gained prominence for challenging in court the unilateral conversion of her children to Islam by their father after he switched religions, finally winning it last year.
The Federal Court ruled last January to nullify all three children’s conversion to Islam ― a watershed decision.
