New Delhi: Global police body Interpol has declined to issue a red-corner notice against televangelist Zakir Naik, accused of inciting youths to take up terrorism, in a decision seen as a setback for Indian security agencies.

Sources in the security establishment suspected Beijing's hand behind the decision by the international criminal police, an organisation headed by a Chinese security official.

"We suspect the hand of China in rejecting the RCN (red-corner notice) against Naik," a senior security official told The Telegraph on Saturday evening.

Meng Hongwei, former director of China's armed police and the first Chinese to hold the post, was in November 2016 elected head of Interpol, a 190-member organisation headquartered in France. The UN General Assembly elects the Interpol chief for a term of four years.

China has repeatedly blocked India's bid to get the UN to approve sanctions against Masood Azhar, the chief of the banned Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed.

The sources said Interpol's decision might create problems in getting Naik extradited from Malaysia, where he has been given permanent residency. An extradition treaty between India and Malaysia has been in force since 2011.

India had in October written to Interpol requesting it to issue an RCN against Naik in an attempt to get him extradited from Malaysia. "The request has been cancelled by Interpol citing insufficient evidence provided by Indian agencies against him. India's foreign ministry had sent the request in an attempt to extradite him to India to face the law," a Union home ministry official said.

The National Investigation Agency had in November filed a chargesheet against Naik, accusing him of promoting enmity between religious groups through his speeches and inciting youths to take up terror activities. The government has also banned Naik's Islamic Research Foundation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

Soon after the chargesheet was filed, the foreign ministry had said it would make a formal request to Malaysia to extradite Naik, who had left India on July 1, 2016 - the day terrorists, alleged to have been inspired by his speeches, struck at a high-end Dhaka cafe, killing 20 people.

"The NIA's request for a red-corner notice against Zakir Naik was not accepted by Interpol as the chargesheet had not been filed when the request was submitted. Now the NIA will submit a fresh request," NIA spokesperson Alok Mittal said.