The Enforcement Directorate has filed a chargesheet against Islamic preacher Zakir Naik and other. According to reports, the ED has also attached his properties worth Rs 50.46 crore. Naik was creating illegal real estate assets worth crores in India and abroad, officials said.
“ED files prosecution complaint against Zakir Naik and others. Total amount of Rs 193.06 crore has been identified as proceeds of crime. ED had registered a money laundering case against Naik and others on 22.12.2016,†reported ANI.
The Centre banned his Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) for five years in 2016 and Naik has been under investigation since then. The controversial preacher is accused of inciting youth to take up terror activities, giving hate speeches and promoting enmity between communities.
Earlier, Special PMLA court granted bail to Abdul Sathak, an aide of Zakir Naik, arrested for allegedly helping the latter with money laundering. Judge MS Azmi granted bail to Sathak on a surety of Rs 5,00,000.
Sathak, a jeweller, was arrested last month under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
He is accused of helping against Islamic preacher by transferring "funds of dubious origin from the UAE (United Arab Emirates) to facilitate production and broadcasting of incriminating videos for spreading communal hatred and radicalisation of a particular community".
The ED has alleged that Sathak sent about Rs 50 crore to Naik, which the latter illegally routed and laundered.
Sathak was the director of Global Broadcasting Corporation FZE LLC that owned Naik's Peace TV channel, it said.
The central agency alleged that Global Broadcasting was "controlled" by Naik (who is stated to be in Malaysia now), through Sathak, his "trusted aide".
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