Mumbai : The National Investigation Agency on Saturday raided multiple locations connected to controversial NRI preacher and televangelist Zakir Naik’s Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), official sources said.
The early morning operation came a day after the NIA lodged a case against the IRF under various sections of Indian Penal Code and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Naik is under the scanner for alleged misdeeds, spreading or promoting communal disharmony, feelings of enmity between communities and supporting terror acts.
Teams of the NIA sleuths, accompanied by Mumbai police started the raids at 10 locations across the city owned by or connected to the IRF.
NIA teams were still conducting searches with the help of local police.
“We are searching a few residential premises and a few office premises,” an NIA official on condition of anonymity told IANS.
Naik is currently out of the country. He has not been here in the past few months.
The IRF shot into limelight following allegations that Naik’s teachings and preachings had inspired terror strikes.