Mumbai Police to probe preacher Zakir Naik's speeches, says CM Devendra Fadnavis

Maharashtra government has asked Mumbai Police to conduct a probe into controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik’s speeches amid reports that his sermons inspired one of the terrorists involved in the attack on a restaurant in Dhaka.

“I have asked the Mumbai Police Commissioner to conduct a probe (into Naik’s speeches) and submit a report,” Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said.

Everything, including Naik’s speeches, his social media accounts, sources of funding (of a foundation run by him in Mumbai) will be scrutinised, said Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio.

The direction comes amid reports that one of the terrorists who attacked an upmarket restaurant in the Bangladeshi capital a few days ago, killing 22 people, was inspired by sermons of the 50-year-old Mumbai-based Islamic scholar. Naik has denied propagating terrorism in any way.

“I totally disagree (with suggestion) that I inspired this act of killing innocent people. There is not a single talk of mine where I encouraged anyone to kill another persons - Muslim or non-Muslim,” said Naik, who has been banned in a few countries.