Delhi HC dismisses Zakir Naik's plea, says Govt's decision to ban IRF taken to safeguard sovereignty of India

Zakir Naik's NGO IRF was banned as there was fear that youths could be "radicalised or motivated" to join terror groups, the government had told the Delhi High Court.

New Delhi: In a huge setback for Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) head Zakir Naik, Delhi High Court on Thursday dismissed plea of the NRI televangelist, against immediate ban and freezing of accounts.

While delivering its order, the Delhi HC said, MHA has sufficient material for imposing the ban.

“Centre's decision to ban Naik's organisation was taken to safeguard sovereignty and integrity of India,” the HC observed.

IRF, in its plea, has challenged the November 17, 2016, notification of the MHA which had imposed an immediate ban on the organisation under UAPA.

Naik's NGO IRF was banned as there was fear that youths could be "radicalised or motivated" to join terror groups, the government had earlier told the Delhi High Court.

According to IRF, the notification gives no reason and cites no material for taking such a step as was required by the law laid down by the Supreme Court.

It said the immediate ban was imposed without giving them any show cause Naik notice.

Naik came under the scanner of the security agencies after Bangladeshi newspaper 'Daily Star' reported that one of the perpetrators of the July 1, 2016 terror attack in Dhaka, Rohan Imtiaz, ran propaganda on Facebook in 2015 quoting Naik.

The foundation had first come under the scanner after the terrorist responsible for Dhaka attack in 2016, in an online post had said, that he was inspired by Naik's speeches.