Zakir Naik received Rs 15 crore in five years: Govt probe

Amount was received during a five-year period preceding 2012; Muslim academics ask govt to tread with caution

New Delhi: A preliminary probe into the foreign funding of the NGO run by controversial preacher Zakir Naik has found most of it came from the UK, Saudi Arabia and some Mideast countries and it allegedly received about R15 crore during a five-year period preceding 2012.

Dr Zakir Naik

As the probe by Union Home Ministry was underway amid allegations that the funds were used by Islamic Research Foundation for political activities and inspiring people towards radical views, some Muslim academics and religious scholars today asked it to ‘tread cautiously’ on any action against Naik.

The televangelist, whose speeches allegedly inspired some of the Dhaka attackers, is currently facing multiple probes.

A senior Home Ministry official said in New Delhi that an investigation was underway on IRF, which was registered under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), and it was found that most of his foreign funds came from the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia and a few other Middle East countries. IRF has allegedly received about Rs 15 crore for a period of five years, preceding 2012, the official said.

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