ED Moves Mumbai Court Seeking To Declare Controversial Islamic Preacher Zakir Naik As Fugitive Economic Offender

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has moved an application before a special court in Mumbai seeking to declare controversial Islamic television preacher Zakir Naik as a fugitive economic offender, for allegedly laundering money to the tune of Rs 193 crore.

The ED application has been filed before the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) seeking Naik to be declared as a fugitive economic offender under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act.

The court has stated that it would hear the ED application on September 30.

It may be recalled that earlier, the court had issued a fresh non-bailable warrant (NBW) against Naik in a 2016 money laundering case and also arrested two of Naik's aides namely Amir Gazdar and Najamuddin Sathak.

Incidentally, Naik left India in 2016 and moved to the largely Muslim nation of Malaysia, where he has been granted permanent residency.

The ED had booked him in 2016 based on an FIR filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).

In July this year, the court issued summons against Naik after taking cognizance of a complaint filed by the ED against Dubai-based jeweler Abdul Kadir Najmudin Sathak for allegedly assisting Naik raise as well as divert funds.

The ED had also attached Naik's properties, including Islamic International School in Chennai, ten flats, three godowns, two buildings and land in Pune as well as Mumbai, besides bank accounts.