Agencies desperate to stick some charge on me, claims Zakir Naik
Mumbai: Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, booked by the Enforcement Directorate for money laundering, Tuesday claimed investigating agencies were "desperately" trying to get "something to stick on him" on the instructions of their "political bosses".
Naik levelled the allegation in response to the ED trying to get a Red Corner Notice issued against him.
In a statement issued here, Naik asked "why are the Indian agencies getting so desperate? Desperate to comply with the instructions of their political bosses?"
"It surely cannot be a desperation to serve justice because theyre not sure of the charges themselves. But this desperation is shameful, and it shows in the way they keep shifting focus from one angle to another, from terror to money laundering, just to make something stick on me," his statement added.
"If the Supreme Court of India gives me in writing that I will not be arrested and jailed until I am convicted, I will return to India, and I will return today," he said.
Naik, reportedly in Malaysia, further claimed he was trying to clear his name from the "fictitious charges by Indian agencies", adding that investigating agencies were continuing an exercise "steeped in injustice and unfairness".
"The objective of all their actions seems to be to put me behind bars without trial and without hearing," he alleged.
Naik claimed that despite failing twice to get a RCN issued against him, the agencies were "trying their luck" with money laundering allegations against him.
"Interpol refused to accept the Indian government's charges against me on two different occasions in the last two years, and I don't see that stance changing," he said.
The first time was two years ago, but it was cancelled by Interpol soon after, as the Indian government failed to produce charges and evidences, it said.
The second time was in late 2017 when the government submitted a charge sheet to the Interpol, the statement said.
"It has been more than a year and despite pressure from the Indian government, the Interpol hasn't issued an RCN.
Now, the agencies are trying their luck with money laundering to get the Interpol to issue an RCN," he said.
"Fortunately for me, Interpol is not driven by Indian politics. Somehow they are not convinced about my crime the way Indian agencies have been claiming," Naik added.
He claimed he had offered to be interrogated several times since his organisation, IRF, was banned in 2016.
Last month, the ED filed a charge sheet against Naik on charges of laundering criminal money to the tune of Rs 193 crore and creating illegal real estate assets in India and abroad.
It has, so far, arrested Amir Gazdar and Najamuddin Sathak, aides of Naik.
Naik was booked by the ED in 2016 based on a National Investigation Agency (NIA) FIR that was registered under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Centre spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print media ads for RSS centenary, reveals RTI
New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Culture allegedly spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print advertisements marking the 100-year celebrations of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), according to a Right to Information (RTI) reply.
The information was sought by RTI activist Ajay Basudev Bose, who filed an application seeking details on expenditure incurred by the ministry for advertisements commemorating the RSS centenary.
Bose shared a picture of the reply from the ministry on his official ‘X’ handle.
“It is informed that an amount of Rs 76,13,129 has been spent on advertisement given in various print media by the Ministry of Culture on the occasion of the completion of 100 years of RSS,” the government’s reply stated.
RTI reply shows Min of Culture Govt of India spent a Whopping Rs 76L,13K,129 on Advertisement in Print Media on occasion of 100 yrs of #RSS
— AJAY Basudev Bose (@AjayBos93388306) April 16, 2026
When Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??@RSSorg… pic.twitter.com/dW4IUtdNCg
Bose questioned the expenditure in the post X, “when Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??”
Reacting to the development, Karnataka’s IT-BT and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge also criticised the spending.
In a post on X, he asked why public money was being used for what he described as a “private ideological project.”
"Modi Sarkar spent Rs 76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS. Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to celebrate their centenary?," he added.
Why is public money being used to serve a private ideological project?
— Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) April 16, 2026
Modi Sarkar spent ₹76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS.
Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to… pic.twitter.com/EoZ6Pim3IM
According to reports, the RSS describes itself as a volunteer-based organisation and has stated that it functions as a body of individuals rather than a registered entity.
Founded by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in 1925, the organisation is marking its centenary year beginning from Vijaydashami in 2025, with the milestone observed on October 2.
