Mumbai Police indicts Zakir Naik for involvement in unlawful activities

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said that the state Government would press for extradition of Islamic Preacher Zakir Naik if he does not return on his own from abroad.

Speaking to reporters in Mumbai yesterday, Mr. Fadnavis said that he has received the report by Mumbai Police on Naik which severely indicts him. He also stated that many unlawful activities and possible terror links have been pointed out pertaining to the organisation of which Dr. Zakir Naik is a leader. The Chief Minister added the Maharashtra government is currently examining the report and would soon share it with the Ministry of Home Affairs and in consultation with the ministry the state government would decide further course of action needed in the matter. 

Amid reports last month that Naik 's preaching inspired some of those involved in Dhaka terror strike, Maharashtra government had asked the Mumbai police to probe Naik's past speeches available online, to see if any of them could have inspired youths to join terrorist organisations. 

The city police was also conducting a joint inquiry with other probe agencies



into the functioning of Naik's Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), to scrutinize the finances it has received from various parts of the world.

Meanwhile, the Home Ministry has initiated an inquiry against an NGO run by Islamic preacher Zakir Naik for alleged violation of Foreign Contributions (Regulation) Act. A standard questionnaire has been sent to Mumbai-based Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) after preliminary inquiry found the NGO run by Naik allegedly received about 15 crore during a five-year period preceding 2012. The IRF has been asked to furnish details of its bank accounts and amount of foreign contributions received and utilised by it since inception, official sources said.

The Home Ministry probe will cover the allegations that foreign funding to IRF was used for political activities and other illegal activities.Sources said, legal opinion tendered recently to the Home Ministry has favoured declaring the IRF an "unlawful association" under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The grounds for such a ban may include spreading hatred among religious communities and "forced conversions" by members.