Police Revisit Indira Gandhi Abduction Case After Reports Fugitive Father Received i-Sara Cash Aid

PUTRAJAYA, Nov 10: The long-dormant Indira Gandhi child abduction case has resurfaced under police scrutiny following reports that fugitive father Muhammad Riduan Abdullah may have received the government’s i-Sara RM100 cash aid.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail confirmed that the matter was brought to his attention and that police have been instructed to verify the claims through official channels.

“This is an issue I inherited, but that’s not an excuse. The police will look into it,” Saifuddin told reporters after officiating the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons 2025 event in Putrajaya on Monday.

The revelation has reignited public attention on one of Malaysia’s most controversial child abduction cases, which has remained unresolved for over a decade. Riduan, formerly known as K. Pathmanathan before his conversion to Islam, disappeared in 2009 with his then 11-month-old daughter, Prasana Diksa, after a custody battle with his ex-wife, Indira Gandhi.

According to reports, Riduan’s details allegedly appeared in the database for the i-Sara cash assistance program, a one-off RM100 government aid distributed directly through recipients’ MyKad-linked accounts.

If confirmed, the finding could offer a significant lead for authorities to track Riduan’s whereabouts through financial or digital records, potentially marking the first real progress in years.

“I’ve asked for a full police briefing on the allegation before deciding on the next steps,” Saifuddin said.

The Indira Gandhi case has long symbolized the legal and emotional complexities surrounding child custody disputes involving unilateral religious conversions in Malaysia. Despite multiple court orders directing the police to locate and return Prasana to her mother, enforcement has stalled amid jurisdictional and procedural challenges.

Public outcry has grown over the years, with rights groups and lawmakers urging authorities to prioritize the enforcement of the Federal Court’s 2018 ruling in favor of Indira.

The new development, if verified, could breathe fresh momentum into the case and raise questions about data management and verification in government aid systems.

Authorities are expected to release further updates once police complete their initial verification process.