Centre begins probe into funds for Zakir Naik's NGO as IUML, AIMIM call for ending 'media trial'

Zakir Naik's UK-registered Islamic Research Foundation International (IRFI) is believed to have received over 15 crore till 2012 from donors mostly from Britain and Saudi Arabia.

New Delhi: The Centre on Tuesday initiated probe into the funding received by controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik's organisation in the past few years.

According to media reports, Naik's UK-registered Islamic Research Foundation International (IRFI) is believed to have received over 15 crore till 2012 from donors mostly from Britain and Saudi Arabia.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is examining how the money was spent and for what purpose the donations was received, the reports said.

Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), statements filed by IRFI are being scrutinised to see if the money received was spent for the purpose stated in the statement given to MHA.

Zakir Naik has been under the scanner of Indian law enforcement authorities ever since Bangladesh asked for an investigation into his speeches and his writing, following a claim that a terrorist involved in the recent terror attack in Dhaka was his follower who was inspired by his speeches.

Naik's speeches are aired on 'Peace TV', run by his Mumbai-based Islamic Research Foundation. Britain and Canada have banned Naik from visiting their countries several years ago while Malaysia banned his lectures fearing that they could instigate inter-racial tensions.