Naik’s sister dealt with crores ‘at instance of brother’

Mumbai: The chargesheet filed against Amir Gazdar of the Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) has Zakir Naik’s elder sister, Nailah Noorani’s statement that she dealt with money (in crores) at the instance of her brother and had no idea about it. Noorani said that she only signed cheques as told by Naik for the money to be transferred to her bank account. Gazdar is allegedly a Naik aide and a director in a few of Naik’s entities.

Noorani told ED officers that she was associated with the IRF Education Trust, Harmony Media Pvt. Ltd., and Long Last Constructions Pvt. Ltd. but she was unaware from where the money for buying these properties came. She also said that she was appointed director in these companies and agreed to sign the documents and cheques on the instructions of Naik without so much as questioning. She said that she acted as a front to the company and used to sign papers and cheques sent by Naik, and never enquired about her brother’s job or business activities and was unaware of his earnings in Dubai.

Noorani said between 2013 and 2016, she received Rs 15.06 crore given as loan from her father’s account and also received Rs 14.02 crore as loan from her mother’s account.