Gandhi Trust refunds donation to Naik IRF

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 8

Amid the controversy surrounding preacher Zakir Naik and his Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), the Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust (RGCT), chaired by Sonia Gandhi, refunded a donation of Rs 50 lakh received from the Foundation five years ago.

The unsolicited donation by IRF was directly deposited in the RGCT by cheque in 2011. Sources privy to the Trust work said that early this July, the RGCT decided to refund the money after the Zakir Naik controversy erupted. In 2011, the sources said, the donation was followed up by IRF with a letter informing the RGCT that the money was to be used for its general fund and PAN card details were enclosed in accordance with law.

Sources said RGCT took an informal decision that after the refund of this ‘single stray donation’, the Trust will not have engagement of any type with IRF.

The RGCT is a registered not-for-profit organisation and was established in 2002 to address the development needs of the underprivileged, especially the rural poor.