NIA files charge sheet against Zakir Naik, to probe his assets

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday filed a charge sheet against controversial televangelist Dr Zakir Naik, his banned NGO Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), and Harmony Media Private Limited (HMPL) in a Sessions Court in Mumbai. In the charge sheet, the agency cited a few alleged "inflammatory and derogatory" statements of Naik. The 4,000-page charge sheet also contains statements of 150 witnesses. Naik has been booked under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Indian Penal Code.

According to NIA, the investigation brought on record that in September 2012, during Ganpati festival, two quotes of Naik taken from his speech delivered earlier in Srinagar were uploaded on his Facebook account by IRF for public view. The quotes read: "If you prove to me that Shri Ganesh is Bhagwaan, then I will eat the prasaad," and "If your Bhagwaan cannot recognise his own son (Sri Ganesh), how will he recognise me if I fall into any difficulty?"

"The religious sentiment of Hindus was deeply hurt by these insulting and deriding comments. Probe revealed that Naik admitted before the Supreme Court that the said controversial quotations were posted on his Facebook account by an employee of the IRF named Asif Sheikh. Although Naik told the court that Sheikh was no longer an employee, investigation has revealed that he continued to work in the same capacity but his name was removed from the list of IRF employees to cover up the matter; and he was shown as an employee of another outfit styled as 'Islamic Dimensions'," said an NIA official.

"The investigation revealed that the IRF and the IRF Educational Trust have received huge amounts as donations from the public in India and also from abroad. But most of the acknowledgment receipts have only 'Well wisher' written on the dotted lines for the donor's name. I t also revealed that Naik's sister Nailah Naushad Noorani was a trustee of IRF Educational Trust along with him. When Naik became an NRI in 2013, he appointed Noorani as Director in HMPL as well as in Longlast Constructions Company, in his place. It was found that she was Director on paper only, and all the affairs of the companies were handled by her brother. She signed the cheques on the instruction of her brother and had no knowledge of the company affairs. Furthermore, she had received Rs29 crore from Naik through her parent's bank account between 2013 and 2016. This money was invested in HMPL and Longlast Constructions Company as per Naik's instructions," said the officer.

He added that huge amounts have been received by domestic and foreign entities and individuals related to Naik. Also, a huge quantity of cash has been generated in the system by entities and individuals connected to Naik ans this has been invested in real estate and holding companies.

The investigation has revealed that there are 19 immovable properties, including land and building, worth Rs 104 crore connected with Zakir Naik. The source and the mode of acquisition of these properties are being investigated by NIA.

Probe further revealed that Naik is the founding trustee and a member of IRF, which as per the agency, is an Unlawful Association. "He has conspired with the IRF Trust and the HMPL to commit offences of promoting enmity and hatred between different religious groups in India through his public speeches and lectures. The probe firmly establishes that the incriminating public speeches/utterings have been in circulation through the electronic media, such as CD/DVD and web portals Facebook/YouTube, etc.; and have been, and continue to be seen across the world. These speeches were forwarded to the Global Broadcast Corporation, Dubai, for broadcast in Peace TV. The minutes of IRF board of trustees' meetings disclose that IRF had approved, organised, promoted and funded public lectures of Naik including his incriminating speeches. The seized material such as DVDs and books list IRF as the publisher," said the official.

As per the agency, many incriminating speeches of Naik were delivered during the peace conferences organised by IRF in Mumbai from 2007 to 2011. The minutes of IRF Board of Trustee's meetings confirm that IRF had planned, organised, funded and promoted these events where there was open exhortation to convert people of other religion into Islam by Naik. Nine speeches or utterings of Naik were found to be inflammatory as they hurt the religious sentiments, besides inciting violence.