Zakir Naik NGO gets Home Ministry notice: What we know so far

The Home Ministry has issued a showcause notice to controversial preacher Zakir Naik's NGO Islamic Research Foundation (IRF). The Ministry has initiated the process for the cancellation of IRF's Foreign Contribution Regulations Act registration, they said.

According to a ministry note, Naik allegedly made many provocative speeches and engaged in terror propaganda in the past. 

Naik came under the scanner  after Bangladeshi newspaper 'Daily Star' reported that one of the perpetrators of the July 1 terror attack in Dhaka, Rohan Imtiaz, ran a propaganda on Facebook in 2015 quoting Naik.

The Islamic orator is banned in the UK and Canada for his hate speech aimed against other religions. He is among 16 banned Islamic scholars in Malaysia.

He had been popular in Bangladesh through his Peace TV, although his preachings often demean other religions and even other Muslim sects. The Mumbai-based preacher has not returned to India ever since the controversy erupted.

Here are the developments:

No more foreign funds for IRF

Naik will soon be banned from receiving foreign funds with the Home Ministry initiating the process for cancellation of its FCRA registration by issuing a final showcause notice to the NGO.

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 the 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.

Interestingly, the IRF's registration under the Foreign Contribution Regulations Act was renewed in September inadvertently despite multiple probes against Naik.

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.

Naik also transferred IRF's foreign funds to Peace TV for making "objectionable" programmes. Most of the programmes, which were made in India, contained alleged hate speeches of Naik, who had reportedly "urged all Muslims to be terrorists" through Peace TV, sources have claimed.

Centre lifts suspension of IAS officer

Senior IAS officer GK Dwivedi, who was suspended after the licence of an NGO of Naik to receive foreign grant was renewed by a Home Ministry's division headed by him, was reinstated by the government, nearly 50 days after the action.

The competent authority has approved for placing the services of Dwivedi, a 1993 batch IAS officer of Andhra Pradesh cadre, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs on "compulsory wait" in the Department of Personnel and Training, from October 17, 2016, said an official order.

Dwivedi, along with three of his junior officers in Home Ministry, was suspended on September 1 for allegedly facilitating renewal of the license given under Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) to Naik's NGO -- Islamic Research Foundation.

A departmental inquiry was also instituted by the Home Ministry into the issue.

Security agency to examine Naik's speeches, activities

Security agencies will carry out an extensive examination of the speeches of Naik, who has been accused of promoting extremist and radical views.

The move comes after a fresh legal opinion suggested that more information should be gathered by security agencies to nail Naik, who has been away from the country ever since allegations surfaced against him, official sources said.

The security agencies have been asked to go deeper and examine more speeches of Naik delivered in last few years and the alleged irregularities committed by him, the sources said.

Legal opinion to MHA suggests action against Naik

Naik may soon be booked under the stringent anti-terror law.

Lawyers have conveyed to the Home Ministry that Naik's statements in different forums allegedly promoted enmity and hatred between religious groups and inspired and incited terrorists. Lawyers also suggested that there is a "conscious intention" on Naik's part towards spreading enmity among religious groups.

Bangladesh seeks details on Naik's operations

Bangladesh has sought details from India about Naik's operations even as it said several prominent ulemas wanted action against the Islamic televangelist much before deadly the Gulshan attack.

Bangladeshi Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu said his country has cracked down on Naik's Peace TV by banning its broadcast and indicated that it is waiting for India's action against the controversial preacher.

Inu said his country doesn't have any evidence of links between home grown terrorists in Bangladesh with extremists outfits in India but at the same time slammed Pakistan for "harbouring terrorism".

No link between terrorists groups, Naik's NGO: Govt

The government said no links between terrorist groups and the foundation headed by Naik have come to its notice yet, but reports indicate that some known terrorists have reportedly been inspired by his speeches.

"So far, no links between terrorist organisations and Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) have come to the notice. However, reports indicate that some known terrorists have reportedly been inspired by the preachings of Dr Zakir Naik, President IRF," Minister of State for Home Hansraj Ahir said.