NEW DELHI: Fugitive evangelist Zakir Abdul Karim Naik, founder of Islamic Research Foundation, must get his signature verified by the Indian embassy in Malaysia before filing vakalatnama in the Tribunal constituted under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, which is adjudicating validity of the Centre’s notification declaring IRF an unlawful organisation under the Act.
The Tribunal, headed by Delhi HC chief justice DN Patel, accepted the objections of solicitor general Tushar Mehta, on behalf of the Centre, that the vakalatnama filed by Naik was not in consonance with the law laid down by the Supreme Court and that no one knows whether absconding accused Naik’s signature on the vakalatnama is genuine. Mehta said Naik is an absconding accused and that his vakalatnama has been filed without proper verification as envisaged by the Supreme Court in its 2006 judgement in Uday Shankar Tiyar case.
Mehta’s contentions remained unrebutted as IRF’s counsel S Hari Haran conceded that Naik’s vakalatnama had not been filed through the Indian embassy and that he wasn’t in a position to verify Naik’s signatures. The vakalatnama was signed by Naik and Naseer Riyasat Khan, both describing themselves as trustees of IRF. The Tribunal asked IRF to file a detailed reply by February 9, while posting the hearing for February 10.