NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday provisionally attached properties of Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) of controversial Salafist preacher Zakir Naik and others worth Rs 18.37 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
The attached properties of IRF include mutual fund, real estate and bank balances.
“During the PMLA investigation, Naik has avoided all the four summons issued to him. The investigation reveals that the proceeds of crime generated through the provocative speech of Dr. Zakir Naik has been either routed and transferred or utilized for the purpose other than for which they have been generated by way of creating communal disharmony and for inciting the Muslim youths and terrorists,” the ED said in a statement.
“In view of their involvement in the case and laundering assets thereof properties controlled by them directly or indirectly become liable for attachment under the section 2 (1) (u) of PMLA Act. Accordingly, a Provisional Attachment Order attaching Mutual Fund having value of Rs. 9.41 Cr (Approx.) of IRF, a go down having value of Rs. 0.68 Cr.(Approx.) of M/s Harmony media Pvt. limited and a school building of having value of Rs 7.05 Cr. (Approx.) belonging to Islamic Education Trust Chennai have been issued. Apart from these, 5 Bank accounts of IRF having balances of Rs. 1.23 Cr. (Approx.) also have been attached provisionally,” added the agency in its statement.
The agency had earlier arrested Amir Abdul Mannan Gazdar , a close aide of Naik, who is undergoing judicial custody.
Earlier, the ED had registered money laundering case against IRF under the provisions of PMLA, 2002 on the basis of FIR registered by NIA in November, 2016 in which it was alleged that Naik and his associates were indulging in unlawful activities and through his provocative utterances, promoting enmity and hatred between different religious groups in India. His inflammatory speeches and lectures have inspired and incited a number of Muslim youths in India to commit unlawful activities and terrorist act. IRF, Mumbai was declared as unlawful organisation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 through an order issued on November 17.