Pradeep Thakur, Times of India, Mar 22, 2019
Probe against absconding Zakir Naik has revealed his undisclosed assets worth over Rs 193 crore including investments in 20 flats in Mumbai and Pune besides bank deposits by diverting funds and donations received from Islamic countries meant for “welfare of Muslims”.
Probe against absconding Zakir Naik has revealed his undisclosed assets worth over Rs 193 crore including investments in 20 flats in Mumbai and Pune besides bank deposits by diverting funds and donations received from Islamic countries meant for “welfare of Muslims”.
The ED on Friday arrested his close aide Najmudin Sathak, a jeweller, who assisted Naik in money laundering and organising funds of “dubious origins” from Dubai to the tune of Rs 79 crore for production and broadcasting incriminating videos allegedly spreading “hatred and radicalization”.
The agency, which is likely to file a chargesheet in the case soon, has already attached assets worth Rs 51 crore, including multiple properties and mutual funds worth Rs 9.41 crore. Another close associate Aamir Gazdar was earlier arrested in the case for aiding Naik in money laundering.
The ED, in a status report prepared on Naik, said that the preacher had used his Islamic Research Foundation, meant for social welfare of the Muslim community, to organise dubious donations and diverted the proceeds in purchasing properties.
The accused raised donations of about Rs 65 crore from UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, besides India between 2004 and 2017. The agency has tracked Rs 49 crore received from unexplained sources in Dubai which he further used to book at least 20 flats in Mumbai and Pune.
The agency, which is likely to file a chargesheet in the case soon, has already attached assets worth Rs 51 crore, including multiple properties and mutual funds worth Rs 9.41 crore. Another close associate Aamir Gazdar was earlier arrested in the case for aiding Naik in money laundering.
The ED, in a status report prepared on Naik, said that the preacher had used his Islamic Research Foundation, meant for social welfare of the Muslim community, to organise dubious donations and diverted the proceeds in purchasing properties.
The accused raised donations of about Rs 65 crore from UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, besides India between 2004 and 2017. The agency has tracked Rs 49 crore received from unexplained sources in Dubai which he further used to book at least 20 flats in Mumbai and Pune.
The ED probe revealed that nine flats were booked in Fatima Heights and Aafiyah Heights in Mumbai worth over Rs 13 crore in the name of his wife and son and 11 flats booked in Engracia at Pune. “The booking amounts were paid by routing of unexplained fund received by Naik through the bank accounts of his wife, son and niece,” a source said.
The transaction trail also revealed Naik’s investment of Rs 13 crore in three properties located at Belvedere Road, Mazgaon, Mumbai. The money in this case was routed through the bank accounts of his mother, father and sister. The source of funds remained unexplained, according to ED.
Najmudin Sathak, who is now in ED custody, assisted Naik in organising funds of ‘dubious origins’ from Dubai to fund production and broadcasting of incriminating videos allegedly intended to spread communal hatred and radicalisation of the Indian society, the ED probe says.
Sathak is also a director in the Global Broadcasting Corporation which was owned by the Peace TV channel run by Naik. Peace TV was broadcasting Naik’s speeches from UAE for Middle East and Africa. The funds were routed through Global Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), Dubai.
The transaction trail also revealed Naik’s investment of Rs 13 crore in three properties located at Belvedere Road, Mazgaon, Mumbai. The money in this case was routed through the bank accounts of his mother, father and sister. The source of funds remained unexplained, according to ED.
Najmudin Sathak, who is now in ED custody, assisted Naik in organising funds of ‘dubious origins’ from Dubai to fund production and broadcasting of incriminating videos allegedly intended to spread communal hatred and radicalisation of the Indian society, the ED probe says.
Sathak is also a director in the Global Broadcasting Corporation which was owned by the Peace TV channel run by Naik. Peace TV was broadcasting Naik’s speeches from UAE for Middle East and Africa. The funds were routed through Global Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), Dubai.
“An amount of Rs 79 crore was received from GBC to Harmony Media Pvt Ltd which was responsible for production of all contents for the Peace TV. Naik’s sister and another close aide Aamir Gazdar were directors in Harmony Media,” according to ED probe.
“The source of funds remitted by GBC to Harmony Media is suspicious as there were no advertisements run on this channel and Sathak has also not submitted any details of the same,” a senior ED official said. Both GBC and the Harmony Media were controlled by Naik through his aides.
“The source of funds remitted by GBC to Harmony Media is suspicious as there were no advertisements run on this channel and Sathak has also not submitted any details of the same,” a senior ED official said. Both GBC and the Harmony Media were controlled by Naik through his aides.
“It was also learnt during investigation that these videos were also exported to UK by Sathak for uploading the same on Peace TV channel from UK. There was no monetary transaction in respect of videos exported to UK, which further raises suspicion,” sources said.
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/zakir-naik-diverted-rs-193cr-islamic-funds-for-buying-flats-mutual-funds-ed-probe/articleshow/68526448.cms
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/zakir-naik-diverted-rs-193cr-islamic-funds-for-buying-flats-mutual-funds-ed-probe/articleshow/68526448.cms
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