Come back by month end: ED tells Zakir Naik

The ED summons has been issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act or the PMLA.

Controversial Islamic preacher Dr Zakir Naik whose financial transactions are under the scanner will have to appear before the Enforcement Directorate by the end of this month. Under the scanner are the fund transfers that have taken place. It was also found that almost Rs 100 crore was invested in real estate.

The ED summons has been issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act or the PMLA. Naik is believed to be in Saudi Arabia currently. The ED says that he has been told to appear before the end of this month and record his statement.

Meanwhile after scanning the banking transactions, a case under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act of the UAPA has been registered against Naik and others associated with his NGO, the Islamic Research Foundation.

Several banking transactions are under the scanner already. The National Investigation Agency has found transactions to the tune of almost Rs 100 crore which were allegedly invested in real estate.
The NIA learnt that there are a 78 different bank accounts through which these transactions were made. We are in the process of examining these accounts and once the picture is clearer, we will summon him for questioning, an NIA official said.