IGP says committed to ‘happy ending’ in Indira Gandhi case

KUALA LUMPUR, July 29 — Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Abdul Hamid Bador vowed today that he will personally oversee efforts for a “happy ending” in the case of M. Indira Gandhi, whose daughter remains abducted by her Muslim convert ex-husband.

The IGP gave his assurance that his agency was working hard to resolve the matter, but said he was not at liberty to share details on their progress in tracing fugitive Muhammad Ridhuan Abdullah and Indira’s daughter, Prasana Diksa.

“I can assure Malaysians that I am taking a personal interest in the case. I want this to be put to an end, I want a happy ending to this episode.

“I am prodding my men to double their efforts to trace them," he said to the press after officiating the Roadshow Autism: Royal Malaysia Police Guidelines event here today.

The IGP said he and Malaysians were saddened by the case as it involves a family torn apart by an interfaith custody battle.

“Do not talk on the aspect of religion but talk about mother and daughter, father and son. That is why I take a personal interest in the matter,’’ he said.

On Indira’s police report alleging that a PAS-linked group, Muslim preacher Dr Zakir Naik and a Thai separatist group were helping to harbour her ex-husband, Abdul Hamid said investigations did not produce any information to support this.

Indira’s former husband, Ridhuan, took the couple’s daughter, Prasana Diksa, in 2009 when she was just 11 months old shortly after converting to Islam. He had also converted their three children to Islam without Indira’s knowledge.

After a protracted court battle, the Federal Court ruled last January that the unilateral conversions of Indira’s children were unlawful.

However, the police have yet to recover Prasana and return her to Indira despite the decision and a previous mandamus order she secured compelling the inspector-general of police to execute the recovery.