Zakir Naik says ED lying, asks if agency is under 'pressure'

Controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik Friday termed a lie the Enforcement Directorate's claim that he transferred over Rs 49 crore to his bank accounts in India over a period of six years despite not having any "known source of income".

The agency had, on May 2, filed a prosecution complaint before a special court here against Naik charging him with laundering criminal money to the tune of Rs 193 crore and allegedly creating illegal real estate assets worth crores in India and abroad.

The ED had stated that Naik did not have any "known source of income" but still managed to transfer more than Rs 49 crore to bank accounts in India.

In a detailed statement released to media by his PR team, Naik said, "Why is ED lying? When everyone - including all the government agencies - know that I have multiple businesses and revenue streams and my earnings have always reflected in the tax returns I've filed, why is ED lying about it?"
He further questioned if the "pressure was so huge" that they (ED) need to lie to achieve the goal set out by their political bosses?
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 Barelvis, with the intention of outraging their religious feelings."