Kerala Islamic preacher M M Akbar arrested for promoting enmity among communities

Controversial Islamic preacher from Kerala Meleveettil Muhammed Akbar, founder-director of Niche of Truth, was arrested from Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport on Sunday in a case related to promoting enmity among communities in Kerala. Akbar, who was en route to Qatar from Melbourne, was detained by immigration officials after Kerala police had issued a look-out circular against him. In December 2016, an FIR under IPC Section 153 (A) was registered against Peace Educational Foundation, founded by Akbar, which runs Peace International school chain across Kerala, for allegedly promoting orthodox Islam and enmity between communities through its textbooks. The textbooks were published by the Mumbai-based Burooj Realization, whose head was arrested by Kerala Police earlier. As his arrest became imminent, Akbar fled the country. “We had issued a lookout notice for Akbar. He was detained at Hyderabad airport today afternoon. Officials from Ernakulam (North) Police Station have gone to Hyderabad and have taken custody of him,’’ Biji George, in-charge Assistant Commissioner (Special Branch) of Kochi Police said. “A case against Akbar regarding promoting of enmity was registered. He has been arrested in that connection,’’ George said. Following the FIR, Kochi police raided Akbar’s schools and closed them. Sources said Akbar was on his way from Melbourne to Doha. He had flown via Jakarta and landed in Hyderabad hoping to catch a flight to Doha but was asked to go through immigration where he was detained. Akbar’s Peace Educational Foundation is also being investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with a case where 21 people from Kerala joined Islamic State. The NIA said at least 11 people of the 21 were either teachers at the Foundation’s schools or were associated with it someway or the other. Source: IndianExpress