Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate on Monday submitted an application to a Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court seeking permission to attach assets registered in the name of Islamic preacher Dr. Zakir Naik and organisations headed by him. The assets total ₹18.37 crore.
Called a provisional attachment, the application seeks to take control of movable and immovable assets as part of the ED’s action under PMLA. According to ED sources, mutual funds worth ₹9.41 crore in the Islamic Research Foundation’s (IRF) name, a godown worth ₹68 lakh belonging to Harmony Media Private Limited and a school building worth ₹7.05 crore run by the Islamic Education Trust in Chennai were provisionally attached.
“We have also provisional attached five IRF accounts in various banks with a total balance of ₹1.23 crore under PMLA,” a senior ED officer said. In November 2016, the ED registered a case against Dr. Naik and several IRF functionaries under PMLA after finding evidence of money laundering.
The ED's probe had revealed that money raised through Dr. Naik's speeches, which were found to be provocative in nature in a separate inquiry by the State and Central governments, had been routed through several bank accounts. They money was used to create communal harmony among the youth of a specific community, said sources. The ED, based on an NIA investigation report, had conducted raids at several premises including those of the IRF last year and seized evidence, including documents and electronic storage devices.
“Due to this reason, the IRF has been banned under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Amir Gazdar, a close aide of Dr. Naik, was earlier arrested in the case and is currently in judicial custody,” an officer said.
Mr. Gazdar was the director at IRF and at several other organisations run by Dr. Naik, and is said to be one of his oldest aides. The ED has sent Dr. Naik four summonses till date, but he has not responded. Dr. Naik is presently out of the country, The ED is likely to seek a non-bailable warrant against him if he continues to be non-responsive, sources said.
Meanwhile, the NIA has also summoned him for the second time, directing him to join the investigation by March 30.
