Zakir Naik charged with money laundering by Indian authorities

Authorities claim that they had traced preacher's properties worth of $28m stashed abroad

India's Enforcement Directorate (ED), a financial crime investigation agency, filed a charge-sheet against influential Islamic preacher Dr Zakir Naik on charges of money laundering.

Zakir Naik, a renowned television preacher, went into exile to Malaysia in 2017 after New Delhi accused him of promoting hate speech and inciting terrorism.

The authorities has claimed on Thursday that they had traced the preacher's properties worth of $28m which are allegedly stashed in various cities in India and abroad including, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), according to a report published in Hindustan Times. 

Once the court takes cognisance of the charge-sheet, the agency will file an application under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018 to declare him as a fugitive economic offender, said the official requesting not to be named.



This is the first charge-sheet filed against Naik, 54, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), which could provide a fillip to India’s efforts to get him extradited from Malaysia where he is currently residing.

Another ED official said the charge-sheet will be shared with the Interpol as a “red notice” against Naik is currently under consideration in the international police body.

In 2016, the Bangladesh government had banned the broadcasting of channel Peace TV, alleging that Naik's speeches inspired some of the terrorists who carried out the vicious attack at a café in Dhaka.

Broadcasting from Dubai, Peace TV is owned by the Islamic Research Foundation, a group headed by Naik.