New Delhi: Controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, who is under investigation for ‘influencing’ terrorists, is involved in money laundering, a fomer bodyguard of the scholar has alleged.
Sajid Sheikh, who worked with Naik for five years before falling out, also alleged that the questions in the meetings of the preacher are pre-decided and someone else used to write speeches for him.
“His programmes are fraud, he is a total fraud. He knows nothing, his lectures are prepared, and the questions in his programmes are pre-decided. He does not know anything about Islam,” Sheikh said.
Naik, who was scheduled to return to India today, cancelled his plan at the last moment. He came out with a statementtoday saying he is shocked at the media trial against him and sought to clarify that he does not support terrorism.
“I do not support terrorism or violence in any form whatsoever. I have never supported any terrorist organizations. I strongly condemn anyone taking my statements out of context and using it for violence of any form,” Naik said in a press release issued today.
Zakir today said he was open to cooperate with probe agencies for any information.
According to sources, National Investigation Agency or NIA may soon contact Naik. The NIA was waiting for him to return but now he has postponed his return, he will be formally requested to join the probe.
“Would be my pleasure to cooperate with any official Indian government investigation agency for any info they might require from me.
So far not a single official Indian government agency has contacted me for any clarification regarding this issue,” he said.
Naik today cancelled his scheduled return to Mumbai from Saudi Arabia on Monday. It was expected that Naik may issue a video clarification. “If time permits, God willing, in the next few days I will give replies to some of the major allegations on video and give it to the media as well as put it up on social media as well as other public platforms so that the original answers are also available,” he said in the statement released today.
Naik is under scanner following several revelations that link him to militants accused of having carried several terror attacks across the region. Two of the 5 young militants who massacred 20 hostages, including an Indian, at a popular cafe in Bangladesh's capital Dhaka on July 1, drew their inspiration from his speeches, reports have said.
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