‘IRF man’s custody critical to show Naik’s involvement’

MUMBAI: The questioning of Arshi Qureshi, a guest relation officer with Zakir Naik’s Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), who has been accused of persuading Ashfaque, a youth from Kerala, to join the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS), is key to ascertaining the involvement of the preacher in the case, said police.

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Naik and his non-profit IRF are under the scanner of three investigating agencies for conversion and radicalization of 21 youth from Kerala – including Ashfaque, whose father has filed a separate case with the Nagpada police. Qureshi is booked in both the cases and is currently in the custody of Kerala police.

The Mumbai crime branch is awaiting his custodial interrogation.

“Qureshi was working with the IRF for a considerable period and was in direct touch with Naik. However, Naik’s role, if any, will be ascertained after we get Qureshi,” said a police officer.

Qureshi and Rizwan Khan were arrested with help from Maharashtra ATS. The ATS is conducting an independent probe against Naik and IRF.

The probe started after 60-year-old Abdul Kader Khan alleged his son Ashfaque joined the ISIS after being radicalised by Qureshi, Rizwan, Haneef and Abdul Rashid. Rashid allegedly joined the ISIS with Ashfaque and Haneef and is untraceable. While officials said the case filed in Mumbai is of radicalisation and not conversion, investigators said all aspects will be looked into.

“It starts with the money flowing here in the form of donations and later its utilisation. In between the flow and usage come the complaints from Kerala and Nagpada. The probe is on to join the dots,” said the officer. The financial angle is being looked into by the Mumbai police’s economic offences wing.