HIGH COURT ORDERS NATIONWIDE SEARCH FOR INDIRA GANDHI'S EX-HUSBAND

IPOH, Nov 21 (Bernama) -- The High Court here today ordered the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) to widen the search for Muhammad Riduan Abdullah, who has been accused of failing to return his youngest daughter to his ex-wife, M. Indira Gandhi.

Justice Datuk Norsharidah Awang said the search should not be limited to Kelantan but extended across the entire country.

“Do not focus only on Kelantan. The whole of Malaysia, Kedah, Perak… This case has gone on for many years, and there needs to be more proactive updates,” she said.

Earlier, ASP Yap Siew Cheng, 44, from the Perak Criminal Investigation Department, was summoned to the court regarding an additional affidavit filed by Indira Gandhi.

The affidavit concerns the use of Budi MADANI 95 (BUDI95) and Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) benefits by Muhammad Riduan, as part of judicial monitoring connected to the outstanding arrest warrant against him.

When asked by Justice Norsharidah whether police had identified the petrol station where Muhammad Riduan used BUDI95, Yap said investigations were still ongoing.

Yap also explained that initial efforts were focused in Kelantan because Muhammad Riduan’s second wife is from the state, and checks with the state education department previously indicated that his daughter was enrolled in a school there.

She added that police have been carrying out further investigative steps regarding the committal warrant dated May 30, 2014, to locate Muhammad Riduan, with efforts spanning from Sept 9  to Nov 17.

The court set Feb 27 next year for further updates.

In 2009, Muhammad Riduan converted the couple’s three children to Islam without Indira Gandhi’s consent and sought custody through the Syariah Court. On Jan 29, 2018, the Federal Court ruled that the conversions were null and void.

The court also ordered the Inspector-General of Police to arrest Muhammad Riduan for defying the High Court’s directive to return the youngest daughter to her mother.

-- BERNAMA