The Union Home Ministry will soon ban the flow of foreign funds to controversial fugitive preacher Zakir Naik’s organisations including Islamic Research Foundation (IRF). According to senior officials, the Ministry has started cancellation of IRF's FCRA registration by issuing final show cause notice.
The Home Ministry has also started the process for putting another NGO of Naik namely IRF Educational Trust in prior permission category, thus preventing it from receiving any foreign funds without getting nod from the Government.
The move came after different investigations found Naik to be “involved” in utilising funds meant for the NGOs for alleged radicalisation of youths and “inspiring” them into terror activities, official sources said.
Recently it was revealed that Congress President Sonia Gandhi headed Rajiv Gandhi Foundation had accepted `50 lakh from Zakir’s Naik’s organizations in 2010. After the controversy, Congress leaders claimed that the Rajiv Foundation returned the money in July 2016, when Naik’s name cropped up in Dhaka terror.
Interestingly, the IRF’s registration under the Foreign Contribution Regulations Act was renewed in September inadvertently despite multiple probes against Naik, leading to suspension of a Joint Secretary and four other officials in the Home Ministry. The I&B Ministry recently banned the broadcasting of Naik-promoted Peace TV.
The Government is also in the process of declaring IRF as an unlawful association under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and a nod from the Union Cabinet is awaited for it. According to a draft note, which is based on the inputs from Maharashtra Police, Naik, who heads the IRF, has allegedly made many provocative speeches and engaged in terror propaganda.