Despite no income, Naik moved Rs 49 crore to bank a/cs: ED

Controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, accused of money laundering, doesn't have any "known source of income" but still managed to transfer more than Rs 49 crore to bank accounts in India, the ED has claimed in a charge sheet filed against him in a special court.

Judge M S Azmi on Wednesday took cognisance of the charge sheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against Naik, currently residing in Malaysia, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

"Zakir Naik, an Islamic preacher who keeps travelling around the world to deliver speeches, does not have any known source of income through any known source of employment or business.

"Even in such a situation, he has managed to transfer Rs 49.20 crore to his Indian bank accounts," the charge-sheet said.

The ED claimed total proceeds of crime in the said case are Rs 193.06.

The financial probe agency said Naik, who also faces charges under anti-terror act UAPA, utilised this money to purchase properties in Pune and Mumbai by "layering of funds" and in the name of his close relatives.

The televangelist also transferred amount into bank accounts of his company Harmony Media, which is directly controlled by him and his directors, after layering it through the account of his close relatives, the agency said.

"Naik has knowingly participated in criminal activities, generated proceed of crime, used it in construction of a school building in Chennai and made investment in mutual fund and has thus laundered the same," it alleged.

The central probe agency, till now, has arrested two of Naik's aides Amir Gazdar and Najamuddin Sathak.

Naik was booked by the ED in 2016 based on a National Investigation Agency (NIA) FIR that was registered under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).

The NIA, in the past, has said the Islamic preacher "deliberately and maliciously insulted the religious beliefs of Hindus, Christians and non-Wahabi Muslims, particularly Shias, Sufis and the Barelwis, with the intention of outraging their religious feelings."