Controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik will be recording his statement in a case of suspected money-laundering via video conferencing, reports…
Controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik will be recording his statement in a case of suspected money-laundering via video conferencing, reports said on Tuesday.
Citing that the atmosphere was not conducive for Naik to return to India, his lawyer has informed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) that the televangelist, currently staying in Saudi Arabia, was ready to record his statement via e-mail or Skype.
The ED first information report under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, follows similar complaints filed by the National Investigation Agency against Naik and his NGO Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) two months ago.
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Last month, the NIA had filed cases against Naik under the UAPA for allegedly promoting enmity between groups on religious and racial grounds, and raided over a dozen offices, residential premises, his Peace TV offices, and other locations, besides freezing a bank account of his NGO.
The ED has already probed certain bank documents and transaction details of the 51-year-old Naik and IRF and may issue summons to him shortly, an ED official said in Mumbai.
On November 15, the Union government banned the IRF for five years after declaring it as an "unlawful association" under the anti-terror laws.
Prior to that, the Union Home Ministry revoked the IRF's permission to receive foreign donations under the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act and placed IRF Education Trust under a prior permission category for the same.
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