KUALA LUMPUR, July 31 — After a decade of silence from the police, M. Indira Gandhi welcomes the news that there is finally an inspector-general of police (IGP) whom she said cares about her plight and her abducted daughter.
After Datuk Seri Abdul Hamid Bador expressed personal interest in the case, Indira now said she is hoping to meet the IGP to discuss the matter.
“I am very glad that finally there’s one IGP who said something like that as the previous ones ignored me and only gave excuses,” Indira told Malay Mail.
“Ten years is too long not to get any feedback from the police and I am hoping to get an audience with Datuk Seri Hamid very soon.
“If possible, I’d like to know what leads the police have and we can compare those with our investigators who are doing an excellent job right now. I just want some news that the police are doing something to help find my daughter,” she added.
Indira’s daughter, Prasana Diksa, was abducted by her estranged husband who converted to Islam, and also converted the minor without the mother’s consent.
The convert husband, Muhammad Riduan Abdullah, has been in hiding from the authorities since 2009, with no leads on his whereabouts from the police.
In the years since, there have been three other IGPs: Tan Sri Musa Hassan (2006-2010), Tan Sri Ismail Omar (2010-2013), Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar (2013-2017) and Tan Sri Mohd Fuzi Harun (2017-2019).
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 IGP to execute her recovery.
With hardly any help from the police, Indira and her team INGAT (Indira Gandhi Action Team) have employed their own private investigators, together with help from the public, claimed to have narrowed down Riduan’s whereabouts.
Last week, Indira lodged a police report at the Petaling Jaya district police headquarters, claiming that three groups inspired by fugitive Indian televangelist Dr Zakir Naik are protecting Riduan.
Indira had claimed that she received a call from a private number, saying that Riduan is under the protection of the three groups in Golok.
Hamid, however, said there are no clear leads for the police to follow up on, but added something is being done to find Prasana without going into detail.
He insisted that the issue not be turned into a religious issue, but a maternal one.
“This sort of sentiment is totally welcome and to know he’s taking great interest in the case is comforting,” INGAT spokesman Arun Doraisamy told Malay Mail.
“I can see renewed spirit in the police force with Hamid on board… If the police are doubling or quadrupling their efforts that’s good; let us both move towards the same destination.”
Arun said the team has requested a meeting with the IGP to compare notes. He was also confident that their private investigative team will conclude in the next few weeks.
“We’ve waited 10 years. Now it’s time to catch this fugitive with our renewed spirit and cooperation,” he added.
Prasana was 11 months old when Riduan abducted and converted her, along with his two other children with Indira, without their mother’s consent.
After a lengthy legal battle, the Federal Court ruled in January last year that the unilateral conversions of Indira’s three children by Riduan were null and void.
