The home ministry has initiated an inquiry against an NGO run by controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik for alleged violation of Foreign Contributions (Regulation) Act.

A standard questionnaire has been sent to Mumbai-based Islamic Research Foundation after preliminary inquiry found the NGO run by Naik allegedly received about Rs 15 crore during a five-year period preceding 2012.

The IRF has been asked to furnish details of its bank accounts, including the designated Foreign Contribution Regulation Act account, and amount of foreign contributions received and utilised by it since inception, official sources said.

The preliminary probe has found that most of IRFs foreign funds came from the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia and a few other Middle-East countries.

The home ministry probe will cover the allegations that foreign funding to IRF was used for political activities.

It will also look into allegation that the NGOs funds were used to induce people towards converting to Islam and attract youths towards terror, the sources said.