Third consecutive five-year ban declaration against the IRF; the Centre said the organisation has been involved in activities prejudicial to the country’s security
NEW DELHI — The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has extended the ban on the Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), founded by Islamic preacher Dr Zakir Abdul Karim Naik, by another five years. The IRF has been declared an unlawful association under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967.
According to a notification dated November 13, the ban takes effect immediately and will remain in force for five years from its publication in the Official Gazette. It was issued just a day before the previous ban was due to expire on November 14, 2026.
The Centre said the organisation had been involved in activities prejudicial to the country’s security and had the potential to disturb public peace, communal harmony and India’s secular fabric.
This is the third consecutive five-year declaration against the IRF
The latest notification was issued under Sections 3(1) and 3(3) of the UAPA.
Under the law, the government’s declaration must be referred to a UAPA Tribunal, which decides whether there is sufficient cause to confirm it. In the previous two rounds, tribunals headed by former Delhi High Court Chief Justice D N Patel upheld the ban.
Why the Ban is Extended
The government cited statements and speeches made by Naik, the IRF’s founder and president, as among the central reasons for extending the ban.
According to the notification, the Centre considers his speeches and statements “objectionable and subversive”. It alleged that they promoted enmity and hatred between religious communities and could encourage young people in India and abroad to commit terrorist acts.
The notification also said Naik had addressed millions of people worldwide through international satellite television networks, the internet, print media and social media.
The Centre further alleged that, without immediate action, the organisation could continue its activities, reorganise members who were absconding, promote communal disharmony and anti-national sentiments, and support militancy and secessionism.
The Home Ministry said the IRF and Naik continued to encourage and aid followers in promoting enmity, hatred and ill-will between different religious communities.
Dr Zakir Abdul Karim Naik, born in Mumbai, is a doctor-turned-televangelist and one of India’s most controversial religious figures.
He studied medicine at Topiwala National Medical College and BYL Nair Charitable Hospital, and graduated with an MBBS from the University of Mumbai. He later gave up medical practice to become a full-time preacher.
Naik has said he was inspired by South African preacher Ahmed Deedat, whom he met in 1987, and built his reputation on public debates and lectures on comparative religion.
He founded the Islamic Research Foundation in Mumbai, which became the organisational base for his lectures, schools and media ventures.
On 21 January 2006, the IRF launched Peace TV, a free-to-air, 24×7 satellite channel focused on comparative religion. It became one of the largest religious networks in the world and the primary vehicle for Naik’s lectures to millions of viewers.
Naik’s rapid-fire references to the Qur’an, Bible, Vedas and other scriptures, followed by Q&A sessions, made him hugely popular, particularly among young Muslims in India, the Gulf, Malaysia, Bangladesh and the UK.
Dr Zakir Naik came under intense scrutiny after the 1-2 July 2016 Holey Artisan Bakery attack in Dhaka, Bangladesh, in which terrorists killed over 20 people. Investigators found that one of the attackers had cited Naik’s speeches as inspiration on social media.
Naik has consistently denied supporting terrorism and has said he does not support violence in any form. But the episode triggered a crackdown in both Bangladesh and India:
In November 2016, India banned Peace TV and declared the IRF an unlawful association. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) registered a case against Naik and the IRF under UAPA and provisions of the Indian Penal Code (now Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita) for alleged hate speech and incitement.
Naik left India on a lecture tour abroad and did not return. He was later granted permanent residency in Malaysia by then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.
Naik remains a wanted fugitive in India, facing parallel probes for allegedly promoting enmity between religious groups, inciting youth, and unlawful activities linked to his speeches.
He also faces money laundering case and Iin May 2019, the ED filed a chargesheet alleging Naik owned assets valued at over Rs 193 crore, acquired through suspicious funding channels.
In addition, multiple cases were filed against him in different states over allegedly inflammatory remarks.
Naik left India in 2016 after facing charges of money laundering and inciting extremism through hate speeches, and remains wanted by the NIA and ED.
Life in Exile and Extradition Deadlock
Naik has lived in Malaysia as a permanent resident since 2016-17. Malaysia has repeatedly declined to hand him over without what it calls concrete and credible evidence through established legal channels.
India has formally requested his extradition, and the issue was again discussed during talks between India and Malaysia in 2026. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim confirmed in September 2026 that extradition had been discussed with India.
Interpol has also previously declined India’s requests for a Red Notice against Naik, citing insufficient evidence — a point Naik and his supporters have repeatedly cited to question the Indian cases.
Despite the ban and exile, Naik remains active internationally. In October 2024, he undertook a month-long, high-profile visit to Pakistan at the invitation of the Pakistani government, which drew a sharp reaction from New Delhi. He continues to lecture abroad, maintain a large social media following, and run Peace TV operations from outside India.
For the government, the extension signals continuity: it treats Naik’s influence, even from abroad via satellite TV and social media, as a continuing security concern. For Naik’s supporters, the repeated extensions — without a conviction in the main cases so far — raise questions about free speech, religious freedom and the use of UAPA against religious organisations.
The next legal test will be the Tribunal’s hearing on whether there remains sufficient cause to keep the IRF an unlawful association until 2031.
