With Zakir Naik Under ED Scanner, His School Might Shut Down

Zakir Naik’s now-proscribed IRF has dissociated itself from the school in Chennai and cut funding.

Islamic International school building in Chennai is reportedly valued at Rs 7.05 crore. (Photo Courtesy: The News Minute)

With Zakir Naik under the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and National Investigative agency (NIA) scanners for money laundering and alleged terror links, a school in Chennai opened by the controversial preacher faces the prospect of closing down in April.

As per a report in the Times of India, the school may shut down in April owing to lack of funds.

According to media reports, Zakir Naik’s now-proscribed Islamic Research Foundation(IRF) has dissociated itself from the 13-year-old school and has cut funding to the institution.

This was after investigative agencies began probing the organisation for money laundering and terror links.

The Islamic International school (IIS) is now reportedly hoping that a minority trust will offer to fund the institution. School authorities are currently using students' fees for daily operations.

“There are 80 children in classes from nursery to Class X,“ Mukadam said.

Our priority is to ensure these children complete the academic year. If a minority institution or an NGO takes charge of the school, it will be a more secular institution. We want to open our doors to teachers and students of all faiths.

Mukadam

But Muslim philanthropists reportedly don't believe anyone will come forward to help with funding for the school. “I don't think anyone will [want] to take over the school in these circumstances,“ Manithaneya Makkal Katchi leader MH Jawahirullah said to ToI.

Only last week, the Enforcement Directorate attached assets of Naik’s Islamic Research foundation (IRF) worth Rs 18.37 crore.

The school building is reportedly valued at Rs 7.05 crore. Following this, reports suggest that the ED has brought his overseas assets in three countries – United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia and United Kingdom – in its money-laundering probe against him and IRF.

Naik allegedly “invested heavily in real estate” in the three countries under the scanner out of the donations given to him by his followers.

(The story first appeared on The News Minute and has been republished with permission.)