Special NIA Court, Mumbai orders attachment of 5 properties of Zakir Naik

Mumbai – On 11th Oct, 2018, the Special NIA Court has ordered for attachment of five properties located in Mazgaon
area of Mumbai belonging to charge-sheeted absconding accused Dr. Zakir Naik, in case RC 05/2016/NIA/Mum
(IRF Case).

Owing to a pending Non-bailable Warrant against accused Dr. Zakir Naik, NIA made a request to Special
NIA Court to declare him Proclaimed Offender. On 15th June 2017, the Court issued a proclamation under sec tion
82 of CrPC against Dr. Zakir Naik. Subsequently, NIA sought order of the NIA Court to attach the properties of Dr.
Zakir Naik. The Special NIA Court has now ordered the attachment of following five properties of the absconding
accused Dr. Zakir Naik :-
i) Shop No. A-103, ad-measuring 1360 sq. ft. in the A wing of the building known as “Crystal Residency”, on the land bearing Plot No. 65-A, C.S. No. 137 of Mazgaon Division, Mumbai-400010.
ii) Flat number B-1005, in Jasmin Apartments (Jasmine Co-operative Housing Society Ltd.), 65-B, Dockyard Road, Mazgaon, Mumbai-400 010.
iii) Flat No. B-1006, in Jasmin Apartments (Jasmine Co-operative Housing Society Ltd.), 65-B, Dockyard Road, Mazgaon, Mumbai-400 010.
iv) Flat No. 1701, ad-measuring 649 sq. ft. in building known as “Maria Heights” situated at 16, Belvedere Road on land bearing C.S. No. 135 and 136 of Mazgaon Division, Mazgaon, Mumbai-400010.
v) Flat No. 1702, ad-measuring 942 sq. ft. in building known as “Maria Heights” situated at 16, Belvedere Road on land bearing C.S. No. 135 and 136 of Mazgaon Division, Mazgaon, Mumbai-400010.

Zakir Abdul Karim Naik (born 18 October 1965) is an Indian Islamic preacher, and the founder and president of the Islamic Research Foundation (IRF). He is also the founder of the Peace TV channel through which he reaches 200 million viewers. He has been called an “authority on comparative religion”,”perhaps the most influential Salafi ideologue in India”, “the rock star of tele-evangelism and a proponent of modern Islam” and “the world’s leading Salafi evangelist”. Unlike many Islamic preachers, his lectures are colloquial, given in English, not Urdu or Arabic, and he usually wears a suit and tie.

Before becoming a public speaker, he trained as a physician. He has published booklet versions of lectures on Islam and comparative religion. Although he has publicly disclaimed sectarianism in Islam, he is regarded as an exponent of the Salafi ideology, and by some sources as a radical Islamist promoting Wahhabism. His preaching is currently banned in India, Bangladesh, Canada and the United Kingdom.

When the National Investigation Agency arrested Mohammad Ibrahim Yazdani, the head of Islamic State’s Hyderabad module in India, upon interrogation it was revealed that the operatives were influenced by Zakir Naik’s sermons and wanted to establish Shariah law as in Islamic state.

There have been media reports of Intelligence Agencies probing the alleged links between terror group Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), and Naik’s IRF. The JuD website is said to be referring to Zakir Naik’s sermons & preachings.

In 2016, he admitted that Rahil Sheikh, involved in 2006 Mumbai train bombings was working as a volunteer for his organization Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) but he did not know Rahil personally. However, Naik also claimed that Rahil was removed from his office. Nearly 200 people lost their lives in the bombing attack and investigation revealed the bombers were influenced by Naik’s preachings.