Court issues open dated non-bailable warrant against Zakir Naik

The warrant is issued in money laundering case

A special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court on Thursday issued open dated Non-Bailable Warrant (NBW) against Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) founder Zakir Naik in a money laundering case registered by the Enforcement Directorate.

This NBW will be sent to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) which will send it to UAE for execution.

Before court passing the judgment, Zakir's lawyer made submissions before it and opposed the Enforcement Directorate's application.

Tightening the noose on Naik, the Enforcement Directorate had earlier approached the court over the same.

The move comes in the wake of Naik failing to appear before the agency despite being issued four summons.

The Enforcement Directorate had last month provisionally attached properties of Naik-led IRF worth Rs 18.37 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, in the form of mutual fund, real estate properties and bank balances.

Earlier in November last year, the Enforcement Directorate had registered money laundering case against the IRF on the basis of FIR registered by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

It was alleged that Naik and his associates are indulging in unlawful activities.

It was also alleged that Naik promotes enmity and hatred between different religious groups in India through his provocative utterances.

During the PMLA investigation, Naik avoided all four summons issued to him.

The IRF, headed by Naik, moved a petition last year seeking directions against the ban imposed on it by the Central Government.