KUALA LUMPUR: The arrest of former Perlis Mufti Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin became even more intriguing yesterday when nobody from the Selangor Religious Affairs Department (Jais) turned up at the court where he was supposed to be charged with preaching in Selangor without approval.

This despite a three-hour wait by Dr Mohd Asri who was picked up by scores of policemen and religious officers on Sunday night.

Jais director Datuk Mohammed Khusrin Munawi said later that Dr Mohd Asri would be charged once the investigation papers were completed.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the arrest was done entirely by the state religious authorities, and he wondered about the motive.