NIA to make a watertight report against Naik, attach properties worth over Rs 100 cr

The NIA has questioned around 20 associates of Naik, including his sister Nailah Naushad Noorani, in connection with its investigation.

Controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik | EPS

NEW DELHI: After questioning about two dozen associates of controversial Salafist preacher Zakir Naik and materials gathered during the probe so far, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has zeroed in on 78 bank accounts with transactions worth crores of rupees and unravelled investment in properties valued at over Rs 100 crore amassed by the televangelist and is set to make a watertight report against him.

Agency sources said the probe so far has revealed that Naik’s insidious activities across the country and dubious investments in and around Mumbai were being supported 23 entities and individuals and once the details gathered are verified, attachment proceedings of the assets will be initiated under the anti-terror law UA(P)A.

Soon after the ban on Naik’s NGO Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) last year, the NIA had in November, 2016 booked the preacher under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act besides other sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including for fanning communal enmity and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony.

The agency has sought income tax returns of the individuals and entities linked to Naik and verify if the investments made by them were in sync with the income claimed in their IT returns. If the investments are found to be dubious, the agency will attach them so that the accused persons are deprived from using those properties or derive any benefit thereof, sources said.

The agency is scrutinising as many as 78 bank accounts linked to Naik and the NGOs and other entities run by him including IRF and Harmony Media Pvt Ltd as it suspects layerings in transactions conducted between them apparently in order to evade the law enforcement agencies, an agency official said.

Once sufficient material evidence is gathered after scrutiny of the banking transactions and IT records, the agency will seek to summon Naik and join the probe, the official added. Naik, however, is already based in a Gulf country and the agency may get him declared a proclaimed offender if fails to turn up for questioning.