NIA blocks Zakir Naik’s ‘hate site’

Mumbai: After stepping up the heat on controversial televangelist Dr Zakir Naik for allegedly disseminating hatred among communities and radicalising youths, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has blocked Naik’s website (www.irf.net) and deleted its content.

The website stopped functioning from Monday. Naik allegedly used the website to propagate his contentious views on religion.

The NIA plans to interrogate some of Naik’s relatives living in the city, since none of his immediate family members are in Mumbai.

Three days after serving the ban notice on the Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) owned and run by Naik, the NIA on Sunday sealed two offices of Naik and seized several files and hard disks from his office. Sources said, “For the past two days, NIA officials are investigating and checking the content in the files. On Sunday officials pulled out the IRF board from their office and sealed two offices situated in Dongri.”

An employee on the condition of anonymity said, “I went to the office on Saturday to collect some personal files but the NIA men didn’t allow me to go inside. I came again on Sunday but they had locked two offices.” Sources informed that the NIA recorded the statement of Manzoor Sheikh, the chief executive officer of the IRF.

The NIA officials’ teams raided five different houses and offices belonging to Naik. The agency also raided 15 residential places of Naik’s relatives in Mumbai. According to sources, the NIA officials have seized bank account details of Naik’s family members, including documents related to IRF and some photographs too.

The NIA on Friday had registered an FIR against IRF and Naik under various sections for the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and section 153 (A) of the Indian Penal Code.