ED attaches assets worth Rs. 18 crore of Zakir Naik-led IRF

Enforcement Directorate on Monday provisionally attached properties of Zakir Naik-led Islamic Research Foundation worth Rs. 18.37 crore under 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 Islamic Research Foundation on the basis of FIR registered by National Investigation Agency (NIA).

It was alleged that Naik and his associates are indulging in unlawful activities and through his provocative utterances he promotes enmity and hatred between different religious groups in India.

Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), Mumbai was declared as unlawful under sub-section (3) of Section 3 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

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

Accordingly, a Provisional Attachment Order attaching mutual fund having value of Rs. 9.41 crore of IRF, a godown having value of Rs. 0.68 crore of Harmony media Pvt. limited and a school building of having value of Rs 7.05 crore belonging to Islamic Education Trust Chennai have been issued.

Apart from these, five bank accounts of IRF having balances of Rs. 1.23 crore have also been attached provisionally.

In view of their involvement in the case and laundering assets thereof properties controlled by them directly or indirectly become liable for attachment under the section 2 (1) (u) of PMLA.

Further investigation is in progress.