ED files money laundering case against Zakir Naik, IRF

THE ENFORCEMENT Directorate (ED) has registered a case of money laundering against controversial preacher Zakir Naik and his organisation Islamic Research Foundation (IRF). The agency’s Mumbai zonal office has registered an ECIR, which is equivalent to an FIR, against Naik and others after taking cognizance of a case registered by NIA under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against them, sources said. The ED, according to sources, will specifically look into the charges of money laundering against the accused and the proceeds of crime in its probe. The agency has already scanned some banking transaction documents and other details against Naik and IRF and is soon expected to issue summons to take the probe forward. The NIA probe found that Naik’s organisation had granted scholarship to a Rajasthan youth named Abu Anas, who allegedly joined the Islamic State (IS) later and attempted to go to Syria. The agency is investigating if he used the scholarship money. The NIA had claimed that the IRF provided scholarships amounting to Rs 80,000 to Anas, a resident of Tonk in Rajasthan, in October 2015. He was arrested by the NIA in January this year and has been chargesheeted since.