NEW DELHI, Nov 19:
Difficulties for Islamic preacher Zakir Naik mounted further today after NIA registered a case against him and his organisation Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) under anti-terror laws and for allegedly promoting enmity between groups on the basis of religion and race.
The anti-terror probe agency’s action came barely four days after the Union Government declared IRF a banned organisation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
After registering case against the 51-year-old Naik, IRF and others, NIA sleuths along with Mumbai police carried out searches at 10 places in the megapolis, including residential premises of some of the office bearers of the foundation, which was earlier put on restricted list by the Union Home Ministry for receiving funds from abroad.
Naik, who has been staying in Saudi Arabia to evade arrest after his name surfaced during probe into the Bangladesh terror strike earlier this year, has been booked along with unnamed IRF officials under section 153-A of IPC (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) beside various sections of UAPA.
“The searches are going on and many documents have been seized. The process of scrutinising and seizure will continue throughout the night,” NIA Director General Sharad Kumar said here. He said future course of action would be decided after analysing every document seized.
Kumar refused to divulge further details about the search operation, saying “the process is on and it will be too premature for us to say anything as of now”.
However, sources in the probe agency said Rs 13.5 lakh cash and some gold have been seized from one of the locations. Bank accounts of some of the office bearers and those of foundation were being scrutinised.
The charges slapped in the FIR, registered by the NIA’s Mumbai branch, also included sections 10 (being member of an unlawful organisation), 13 (punishment for being member of illegal organisation) and 18 of UAPA (punishment for being involved in a conspiracy for committing any terror act).
IRF came under the scanner of various security agencies after one of the terrorists involved in the Dhaka cafe attack had allegedly posted on social media that they had been inspired by Naik’s speeches.
Some of the youths from Mumbai suburbs, who had left their home to join Islamic State earlier this year, were also allegedly inspired by the preacher.
The speeches of Naik, who is currently out of the country apparently to evade arrest, are banned in the UK, Canada and Malaysia.
The Home Ministry has alleged that the NGO had “dubious” links with Peace TV, an international Islamic channel, accused of propagating terrorism.
According to the Home Ministry, Naik, who heads the IRF, had allegedly made many provocative speeches and engaged in terror propaganda.
Maharashtra Police has also registered criminal cases against Naik for his alleged involvement in radicalising Muslim youth and luring them into terror activities.
Naik was alleged to have transferred IRF’s funds received from abroad to Peace TV for making “objectionable” programmes. Most of the programmes, which were made in India, allegedly contained hate speeches of Naik, who had reportedly “urged all Muslims to be terrorists” through Peace TV.
An educational trust run by Naik has already been barred from receiving foreign funds and probe agencies are looking into their activities.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for IRF Aarif Malik said the foundation will not comment on the searches but whenever the investigating agencies wanted to examine Naik, he will be available. He said Mumbai police had sealed offices of IRF last night itself following which NIA officials carried out the search and seizure operation. (PTI)
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