Zakir Naik refuses to return to India
ESCAPING LAW In recent months, Naik was often spotted with top ministers of the Najib Razak regime, including former Dy PM Hamidi
MUMBAI/NEW DELHI: Reports of Zakir Naik returning to India or being extradited from Malaysia were dismissed on Wednesday by the controversial televangelist himself, who said he would come back only if he felt he wouldn’t face “unfair prosecution”.
Reports from Malaysia, however, suggest the new government headed by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad may not be as soft in its approach towards Naik as the previous Najib Razak administration, which granted the preacher permanent resident status.
Shortly after TV channels reported that Naik was set to return to India, he issued a statement that said: “The news of my coming to India is totally baseless and false. I have no plans to come to India till I don’t feel safe from unfair prosecution. Insha Allah, when I feel that the government will be just and fair, I will surely return to my homeland.”
Officials in New Delhi said they had not heard from Malaysian authorities about Naik’s possible return to India, where he has been charged with promoting enmity between religious groups through his speeches and lectures.
Naik currently lives in the city of Putrajaya, where he has a flat in gated community a short distance from the Prime Minister’s Office. In recent months, he was often spotted with top ministers of the Najib Razak regime, including former deputy prime minister Ahmad Hamidi, at Friday prayers in the main mosque of Putrajaya.
However, the new government’s home minister, Muhyiddin Yassin, said last month that Naik will have to answer to authorities if he breaks Malaysian laws. “I was informed that he was granted permanent resident status by the previous administration. He must abide by our country’s laws – if not, we will deal with it,” Yassin was quoted as saying by the local media.
The new education minister, Maszlee Malik, too had to issue a clarification after facing considerable criticism for his earlier support of Naik. Malik told the local media his support was limited to Naik’s freedom of speech and did not extend to his alleged preaching of hatred.
Several Malaysian groups have condemned Naik’s sermons, which they described as extremist and disrespectful of other religions. The groups have pointed out he is wanted by Indian authorities.
On June 20, the Bombay high court refused to grant any relief to Naik after he challenged the revocation of his passport. Saying that the allegations against him were “false”, Naik sought an independent inquiry into the allegations and the recording of his statement through video conferencing in the case registered against him by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
A division bench of the high court also noted that Naik had not presented himself for investigation in India.
The external affairs ministry cancelled Naik’s passport when he failed to appear before the NIA and Enforcement Directorate (ED) even after several notices were issued to him by the central agencies.
Naik is being investigated by NIA for allegedly radicalising youngsters, and by ED for money laundering. The ED had Zakir Naik’s speeches were aired mainly on English TV channels and Peace TV, which he started in 2006. He launched Peace TV Urdu in 2009.
allegedly influenced several terrorists, including two of the six attackers who killed 20 people in a café in Bangladesh capital Dhaka in July last year last year, the NIA registered a case against Naik at its Mumbai branch under various sections of the IPC and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act has declared Naik’s NGO Islamic Research Foundation as unlawful is probing allegations of money laundering against Naik. It also filed a charge sheet against Amir Gazdar, Naik’s aide, in April obtained a non-bailable warrant against Naik earlier this year and has alleged that videos of Naik’s provocative speeches were produced and exported to Dubai for telecasting.
Huge cash transactions, without leaving any trail of their ori-
was declared a proclaimed offender for failing to appear before the special court despite several summons Cases were filed against Naik for his controversial remarks against Hindu deities in Kurla. Cases were also filed in Vengurla, Sawantwadi and outside Maharashtra
gins or use of the funds, were allegedly conducted by Naik through his employee Amir Gazdar. The amounts were collected and provided to employees and officials of Naik’s Islamic Research Foundation.
The ED has also alleged that National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed a charge sheet against Naik and his aides He was charged with inciting youngsters and for financing terror activities
The charge sheet also named the Islamic Research Foundation and Harmony Media Private Limited — institutions founded by Naik — the accused
The charge sheet was filed on the basis of 151 witnesses. It stated that Naik promoted enmity and hatred between different religious groups through his public speeches and lectures
Naik established dummy companies in India and abroad “for the diversion of funds”.
It further alleged t hese dummy firms were used to camouflage the diversion of funds Naik received for making provocative speeches.