New Delhi: An investigation into the foreign funding of controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik’s NGO Islamic Research Foundation, which was registered under Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), has revealed that most of the funding from foreign funds came from the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia and a few other Middle East countries.
The government is now probing whether the funds are being sourced from radical groups. IRF has allegedly received about Rs 15 crore for a period of five years, preceding 2012, a Home ministry official said.
Mumbai-based Naik has come under the scanner of security agencies after it was reported that his speeches have inspired some terrorists who had taken siege of Holey Artisan cafe in Dhaka July 1. Maharashtra government had last week ordered a probe into the speeches by the televangelist.
A probe by the Home ministry is now looking into the allegations of foreign funding to IRF being diverted into political activities. Agencies are also probing if the NGO's funds were used to induce people towards Islam and "attracting" youths towards terror, the official said.
All such activities are contrary to FCRA and any violation invites punitive action.
Accounts of IRF are being checked to find for what purpose the funds were sent from abroad and for what purpose the funds were utilised. Officials said that according to an intelligence report, the content of "Peace TV", in which Naik regularly appears and gives sermons, is "not conducive" to the security environment in the country and poses "security hazard".
Home Minister Rajnath Singh had earlier said that CDs of Naik's speeches are being examined for necessary action and asserted that the government will not compromise on the issue of terrorism.
Naik, however, had released a statement, saying he "totally disagreed" that he inspired the killing in Dhaka. "There is not a single talk of mine where I encouraged one to kill another, whether Muslim or non-Muslim," he said.
