India's National Investigation Agency raids Zakir Naik's NGO offices

Raids commenced early Saturday morning with assistance from local police

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) of India on Saturday conducted raids at 10 offices of preacher Zakir Naik's NGO in Mumbai.

The raids commenced Saturday morning with the assistance of local police after a case was filed against Zakir Naik and others on Friday under section 10,13,18 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and section 153A of Indian Penal Code.



The action by NIA comes just days after the Indian government banned the NGO for five years.

The ban, which was effective immediately, was enforced under India’s Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and approved at a meeting of the Union Cabinet. The NGO has been declared an ‘unlawful’ organisation.

Earlier, in September, India banned the NGO from receiving foreign funds directly. The Indian home ministry slapped the ban on Naik’s NGO on the grounds that it was carrying out activities contrary to the Foreign Contribution Regulations Act (FCRA), while directing Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to seek prior permission from it before giving any money to the NGO.



The government, while declaring IRF an ‘unlawful’ organisation in August, decided to slap terror charges on the televangelist, whose ‘hate speech’ was reported to have inspired one of the five Dhaka cafe attackers.

This article originally appeared on Times of India