The Maharashtra Police on Tuesday submitted a report on controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik highlighting a number of illegal activities he was involved in through his Islamic Research Foundation. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, "There are many indictments in the report. Many unlawful activities have been pointed out pertaining to the organisation of which Zakir Naik is the leader," according to The Indian Express.
Fadnavis had directed Mumbai Commissioner of Police Dattatray Padsalgikar to launch an investigation into Naik and his IRF on July 7. He said his government was studying the report submitted and will soon share its own report with the Ministry of Home Affairs. "There are certain activities attributed to Zakir Naik, as well. In consultation with the MHA, we will decide on a further course of action," he added.
Moreover, the ministry reportedly issued an inspection notice to the foundation on Monday for allegedly violating the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, according to The Hindu. A senior official said: "We will inspect their book of accounts to see whether the provisions of the FCRA were violated or not. If we find discrepancies, the next step will be to put it under temporary suspension, and all the foreign donations will then have to be routed through MHA."
Naik has been under scrutiny since it emerged that one of the militants behind the siege at a cafe in Dhaka had been inspired by his speeches. Bangladesh later banned his international Islamic channel Peace TV from being broadcast in the country. Funding for his Islamic Research Foundation is also being investigated.
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