Daijiworld Media Network

New Delhi, May 2: A charge sheet has been filed by the Enforcement Directorate against controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik for money laundering.

ED told a special court in Mumbai that it had linked assets worth Rs 193.06 crore as proceeds of crime. The central agency filed prosecution complaint under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

This is the second charge sheet filed by the ED but the first against Naik highlighting his role in the matter. The agency has already attached Rs 50.46 crore assets, the agency said.

Naik is a televangelist. One of the gunmen responsible for the Dhaka café attack that cost 22 lives confessed he was inspired by his speeches broadcast on Peace TV. The channel, which is reportedly broadcast from Dubai, was founded by the televangelist in 2006.

Naik was booked by the ED in 2016 based on a National Investigation Agency (NIA) FIR.

"Naik deliberately and maliciously insulted the religious beliefs of Hindus, Christians and non-Wahabi Muslims, particularly Shia, Sufi and Barelwis, with intention of outraging their religious feelings," National Investigation Agency had told a court earlier.

ED in its earlier charge sheet said the incriminating speeches of Dr Zakir Naik were delivered during the 10-day peace conference organised by Islamic Research Foundation in Mumbai during the period from 2007 to 2011. It claimed that people of other religions were openly converted to Islam by Dr Zakir Naik.

After India and Bangladesh, two of Sri Lanka's major cable TV operators blocked Zakir Naik's Peace TV from their list of channels after the Easter Sunday blasts that killed over 250 people.

It is said the channel was allegedly been used by ISIS recruiters for indoctrination and brainwashing the youth.