Zakir Naik booked for spreading hatred'

Mumbai/New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday booked Islamic preacher Zakir Naik 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.

According to sources, after registering cases against 51-year-old Naik, IRF and others, NIA sleuths along with Mumbai police carried out searches at 10 places in the city, 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. The NIA’s action comes barely four days after the Union government declared IRF a banned organisation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

Mr Naik, who has been living in Saudi Arabia to evade arrest after his name surfaced in the probe into Bangladesh terror strike earlier this year, has been booked along with unknown 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.

“NIA sleuths recovered several incriminating documents during searches on Saturday. The documents are being scrutinised,” a source said, and added that Rs 13.5 lakh in cash and some gold has been seized from one of the locations. Bank accounts of some of the office bearers and foundation are also being scrutinised.

The charges 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 allegedly posted on social media that they had been inspired by Mr Naik’s speeches. According to the home ministry, Mr Naik had made many provocative speeches and allegedly engaged in terror propaganda.

The government on Novemver 15 decided to declare his NGO as an outlawed organisation under the anti-terror law for five years for its alleged terror activities.