Mumbai police submits report on Zakir Naik

The report will now be vetted by the Home department and sent to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for further action, Principal Secretary (Home) Vijay Satbir Singh said. The Mumbai police was asked to probe Naik’s past speeches available online, to see if any of them could have inspired youths to join terrorist organisations, amid reports that his preaching inspired some of those involved in Dhaka terror strike. 

The city police were also conducting a joint inquiry (with other probe agencies) into the functioning of Naik’s Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), to scrutinise the finances it has received from various parts of the world. Naik has ruled out returning to India this year and claimed his remarks were ‘blown out of context’ and that he has never inspired any terror activity. 

Stating that he is a ‘messenger of peace’, Naik had also accused Indian media of running a trial against him by hyping unverified reports and doctored clippings and statements being shown out of context. Meanwhile, the city police on Monday registered a case against an IRF employee and three others, including two arrested earlier by Kerala police in connection with alleged Islamic State (IS) recruitment case in the southern state. They have been booked under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and IPC section 120-B (criminal conspiracy), a senior police official said on Tuesday.