Zakir Naik's NGO gave Rs 80,000 scholarship to suspected Islamic State supporter: NIA

NIA, probing funding and other activities of Zakir Naik-led Islamic Research Foundation, claimed ISIS recruit Abu Anas received Rs 80,000 from the foundation as scholarship in October 2015.

Anas, a resident of Tonk in Rajasthan, had quit as an engineer in a Hyderabad-based company when he was arrested by the NIA in January for allegedly planning to carry out a terror strike ahead of Republic Day.

The NIA claimed the probe into the IRF funding and distribution of money showed that Anas, who was among 16 people arrested at that time, had received Rs 80,000 from the proscribed IRF as scholarship in October 2015.

Anas, named in a charge sheet in June, and is at present at Tihar Jail, had planned to go to Syria, the NIA alleged.

The NIA has been conducting searches since November 19 and have raided at least 20 premises in Mumbai which are connected to the proscribed IRF or its trustees.

During the search operations, video tapes and DVDs of Naik’s public speeches, documents related to property and investment, financial transactions, foreign and domestic funding of the proscribed IRF as well as its associated companies, and electronic storage devices have been recovered by the NIA, it said.

The NIA alleged that IRF, which was banned by the Union Cabinet last week under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), had close connections with some companies dealing in media, perfumes and solution.

The documents seized during the searches pertain to inflow and outflow of foreign and domestic funding were being scrutinised.

The NIA also blocked the website of IRF, which was allegedly promoting “hate speeches” of Naik.

If the Islamic preacher fails to respond to the NIA summon, a red corner notice will be issued against him through Interpol by it.

The NIA is still trying to block Naik’s Facebook page, Twitter account and YouTube videos that contain alleged “objectionable” material and may seek help from authorities in the US where the servers of Internet giants like Google and Yahoo are located.

Naik has been booked along with unnamed IRF officials under section 153-A of IPC (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) beside various sections of UAPA.