The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday arrested Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik in connection with a money laundering case allegedly related to underworld don Dawood Ibrahim. According to sources, Malik was not cooperating during the questioning. A special PMLA court sent Malik to ED custody till 3 March in the money laundering case. The ED had sought 14-day custody of Malik. Malik on Wednesday was produced before the Special PMLA court in Mumbai. “ED officials came to my house early morning, took me to the ED office, detained me and later, recorded my statement. They gave me a summons copy at the ED office and asked me to sign it,” Malik said in the court.
Soon after his arrest, Malik said that he was not scared and would fight and win. Earlier in the day, ED summoned Malik in connection with an alleged money laundering case related to underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.
Last Tuesday, the ED conducted raids at the residence of Dawood Ibrahim’s sister Haseena Parkar in Mumbai in connection with the money laundering case. Searches were carried out by the ED at several places linked to people associated with the underworld in Mumbai, informed sources said on Tuesday. The ED had also conducted searches at 10 different locations related to late Haseena Parkar, sister of Dawood Ibrahim, in Nagpada. The agency had also questioned Dawood’s nephew and Parkar’s son Alishah Parkar and Chota Shakeel’s henchman Salim Qureshi aka Salim Fruits.
NCP workers gathered outside the Enforcement Directorate office in Mumbai and raised slogans after Malik’s arrest. Soon after the arrest, NCP president Sharad Pawar on Wednesday called an emergency meeting of party leaders at his residence in Mumbai. Rajesh Tope, Chhagan Bhujbal and Ajit Pawar arrived for the meeting.
State Congress president Nana Patole called on all the parties of Maha Vikas Aghadi
(MVA) to unite and fight against the Central Government in support of Malik. Malik was constantly raising his voice against the wrong policies of the BJP-led central government and exposing them, said Patole. He has said that the Congress was with Malik in this struggle.
“We will collectively fight such acts of oppression by the power-drunk BJP government at the Centre. All this is being done to defame Maharashtra and to gain power in the state. But the people of this state are watching everything and they will teach them a lesson,” Patole added.
Patole further said, “The action taken against Malik was not a surprise as similar action has been taken by the Central agencies against anyone who speaks against the Centre. Similar action had been taken against several Opposition leaders in the past.”
A report from Kolkata said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee spoke to NCP chief Sharad Pawar and expressed support after Nawab Malik’ arrest.
After Malik’s arrest, the BJP demanded his resignation and warned of protests if he did not step down. Speaking to media persons, Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrakant Patil said, “Nawab Malik has been arrested, he should resign now. We demand his resignation. If he doesn’t, we will protest. How are they running the government? There’s a long list of allegations against Maharashtra Ministers, will get tired reading it.”
Hours after Malik’s arrest by the Enforcement Directorate, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Wednesday said that the NCP leader’s resignation should not be accepted. “As they cannot fight face to face with the Maha Vikas Aghadi, they have attacked from behind like Afzal Khan. Let them rejoice in the arrest of one minister by deception. Nawab Malik’s resignation should not be taken. We will keep fighting and win. Kansa and Ravana were also killed. This is Hindutva. The battle has just begun. Jai Maharashtra,” read Raut’s tweet, roughly translated from Marathi.