New Delhi: Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a detailed charge sheet against terror accused Zakir Naik responsible for preaching terror. 

The charge sheet, which has been filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), claims that ED has attached properties to the tune of Rs 50.46 crore for involvement in money laundering.  

Investigations have also revealed that most of the inflammatory speeches Zakir Naik delivered were during the peace conferences organised by the Islamic Research Foundation in Mumbai during the period between 2007 and 2011. 

The said conferences were planned, organised, funded and promoted by the Islamic Research Foundation and people of other religions were openly converted to Islam by Naik. 

"His inflammatory speeches and lectures have inspired and incited several Muslim youths in India to commit unlawful activities and terrorist acts. His thoughts created disharmony among various faiths and created hatred amongst people.

“The speeches and lectures of Zakir Naik were recorded into audio-visual format by Harmony Media Pvt Ltd, Mumbai, after which the recordings were edited for public viewing. M/s Harmony Media Pvt Ltd forwarded the revised version to Global Broadcasting Corporation, Dubai (GBC) and IRFI, UK for further broadcast on Peace TV across the globe. 

“Further Master DVD of Zakir Naik's speeches were made for further replication and distributed to the general public for maximum circulation," the ED said.  

"The attached properties belonging to Zakir Naik, including investment in mutual funds, Islamic International School in Chennai, 10 residential flats, three godowns, two buildings and land in Pune and Mumbai and 10 bank accounts worth Rs 50.46 crore is as per the list attached. Proceeds of crime totalling Rs. 193.06 crore have been quantified in the case. 

“Other than these attachments, investigation in respect of investments of Zakir Naik in Dubai to ascertain and identify the properties outside the country is under progress," the ED said.

The ED has initiated an investigation based on the FIR registered by the NIA against Naik and his associates for his involvement in unlawful activities through his provocative utterances, thus promoting enmity and hatred between different religious groups in India.

The ED claimed that its investigation revealed that the IRF received, from the year 2003-04 to 2016-17, an amount to the tune of Rs. 64.86 crore. (approx.) was mostly from various dubious/suspicious/unknown sources. Majority of the Enforcement Directorate 02/05/2019 funds were utilised for organising peace conferences. It was during these peace conferences that provocative speeches were made and religious conversion to Islam was propagated. 

The IRF received donations in response to the appeals made by Naik during his controversial speeches, and thus these donations were proceeds of crime emanating from criminal activity. 

Money trail led to the identification of one school building in Chennai valued at Rs 6.2 Crore, mutual funds of Rs 9.41 Crore and the ground floor of a building in Mumbai and these were also provisionally attached.