UK media regulator, Oftcom has fined satellite TV network Peace TV and its Urdu offshoot a total £300,000 (RM1.59 million) for broadcasting hate speech and “highly offensive” content that is likely to incite crime, said news reports.
Peace TV belongs to Lord Productions Limited while Club TV holds the licence for Peace TV Urdu, both of which are owned by Universal Broadcasting Corporation Limited, the owner of which is Zakir Naik.
“Our investigations found that programmes broadcast on Peace TV Urdu and Peace TV contained hate speech and highly offensive content, which in one instance was likely to incite crime,” Ofcom said in a statement earlier this month
“We concluded that the content represented serious failures of compliance with our broadcasting rules, which warranted fines. Ofcom has today fined the former licence holders of Peace TV Urdu £200,000 and Peace TV £100,000 for breaking our broadcasting rules.”
Zakir has been persona non-grata in the UK since 2010 due to his “unacceptable behaviour”.
He is wanted in India, where he originates, for various crimes including money laundering and inciting terror.
India is reported to have made another request to Malaysia for his extradition last week.
Malaysia, where the fugitive has found safe haven as a permanent resident, is unlikely to accede to India’s request after rejecting it several times since 2016, when the Mumbai-born Zakir landed on its shores after fleeing his home country. – TMI