'No illegality in Zakir Naik NGO's donation to Rajiv Gandhi Charitible Trust'

The Trust, run by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, received Rs. 50 lakh by from Naik’s foundation in 2011.

The Home Ministry has found no ‘illegality’ in the donation given by Islamic preacher Zakir Naik's NGO to the Rajiv Gandhi Charitible Trust (RGCT).

The Trust, run by Congress president Sonia Gandhi received Rs. 50 lakh by Mr. Naik’s foundation in 2011. "Prima facie, there was no illegality found," a senior Home Ministry official told The Hindu.

The RGCT is registered under the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act, 2010 (FCRA), which mandates donation from one FCRA registered to another. Naik's Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) is also an FCRA registered NGO, and in 2011, there was no enquiry against it.

It was only on August 8 this year that the Home Ministry sent an inspection notice to Naik's NGO after his name surfaced during the attack at the Dhaka cafe in Bangladesh on July 1. At least two of the Bangladesh terrorists used to follow the speeches of Naik.

After the July incident, the RGCT returned the amount to IRF.

"It is correct that the IRF donated Rs. 50 lakh to the RGCT in 2011. It was in July this year that they returned the amount. It was donated from one FCRA registered NGO to another, no anomaly in this," said Arif Malik, spokesperson, IRF.