Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis orders probe against Zakir Naik; Centre finds his speeches `objectionable`

Mumbai: It's a major setback to controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik.

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis has now directed the Mumbai Police officials to initiate inquiry against Zakir Naik.

The probe will include inquiry into his all public documents.

Speeches, social media posts to be probed

The Maharashtra government has ordered the police officials to probe all the recordings of Zakir Naik's speeches.

Also, confirming that inquiry has begun, Mumbai Police said, "Zakir Naik's public documents, videos and social media posts are being examined."

Noteworthy, the move by Maharashtra government came a day after Bangladesh asked India to examine the speeches of Zakir Naik.

The Centre on Thursday had termed Zakir Naik's speeches as 'highly objectionable'.

"The home ministry will study (his speeches) and it will take appropriate action after studying them," Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu told reporters in Delhi.

Shia board too demands ban

Also, All India Shia Personal Law Board has demanded an immediate ban on preachings by Zakir Naik for his controversial statements defending terrorism.

Moreover, the Shia board has demanded that the government should order a high-level probe into the funding of the TV by Saudi Arabia and other countries. 

Dhaka attack

The developments and demand of ban have come in the wake of the recent attack in a Dhaka cafe.

It was reported that Zakir Naik's 'hate speeches' inspired one of the five Bangladeshi militants, who hacked to death 22 people at an upscale cafe in Dhaka's diplomatic enclave last week.