Mumbai cops begin investigation against Zakir Naik

MNA Editorial Desk: Reportedly, Mumbai cops begin investigation against Zakir Naik. Devendra Fadnavis, Maharashtra Chief Minister, has ordered the Mumbai Police officials to open an investigation against Islamic preacher Zakir Naik. The investigation will take a probe into his public documents, according to a news report.

The Maharashtra government has also ordered the law enforcement officials to check out all the recordings of Zakir Naik’s speeches.

Mumbai Police confirmed that Zakir Naik’s public documents, videos and social media posts are being examined. The decision by Maharashtra government came a day after Bangladesh asked India to examine the speeches of Naik on Peace TV.

According to media reports in Bangladesh, Rohan Imtiaz, one of the attackers at the July 1 siege at Dhaka’s Holey Artisan restaurant, was inspired by Naik’s preaching.

One of the Dhaka attacker’s apparently is being inspired by his preaching, Naik, speaking from Mecca, said the major percentage of his Facebook followers from Bangladesh.

“Ninety percent of Bangladeshis would know me, including senior politicians, philanthropists, common men, students and more. Fifty percent would be my fans. Am I shocked that the attackers knew me? No.” Zakir Naik said.

This, however, does not mean that he endorses their methods, he said. Claiming that a lot of people “come close to Islam” because of him, he said such people then listen to other speakers, including some who, in the name of Islam, misguide thousands.

“Such a person would be a hardcore fan of Prophet Muhammad. Does that mean Prophet Muhammad told him to kill people?” Naik asked, adding that the Quran explicitly states that when a person kills another, of any religion, “it is as though he has killed the whole of humanity”.

Indian clerics urge arrest of  Zakir Naik

Clerics of Uttar Pradesh in India called for Islamic Research Foundation and Peace TV founder Zakir Naik to be detained and for a cover ban on Peace TV.

Naik should be arrested and his channel, Peace TV, banned, said Maulana Shahbudeen Razvi, a member of the clergy of Bareilly in UP.

Maulana Asjad Raza Khan Qadri, Bareilly city qazi, demanded a ban on him for his hate speeches. Naiks speeches have been under the scanner in countries like the UK, Canada and Malaysia, which have already banned him.

Bangladeshi cable operators are keen to stop Peace TV telecast

Cable TV operators in Bangladesh have said they are keen to stop airing controversial Indian televangelist Dr. Zakir Naik’s Peace TV but are waiting for a government notification.

Mir Hossain Akhtar, President of Cable TV Owners’ Association, told to media “In the past I myself used to watch the channel but after the Gulshan incident, I realized that many people do not view the channel the way I do it.”

“We want to stop airing the channel across the country. But in the absence of any government notification in this regard, it is not possible at this moment,” he added.

Former Cable Operators Bangladesh (COB) president SM Anowar Parvez said, “We are a peace-loving nation and do not require any Peace TV.”

He said that it would be simple to block telecast of the TV station across the country if a government order was issued.