The Bombay High Court will hear on Wednesday the petition filed by Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik seeking quashing of the case registered against him by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) which is probing money laundering case in connection with underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.
Malik in his plea says his arrest was illegal and has sought to be released immediately. The ED has also summoned Faraz Malik, son of Nawab Malik in the case. Malik has been remanded to ED custody till March 3. He was sent to ED custody for seven days by a court in Mumbai in connection with the money laundering case. Meanwhile, the ED had also summoned Faraz Malik, son of NCP leader. After being summoned by ED, Faraz Malik’s lawyer has requested a week’s time to submit the related documents to the investigative agency. However, ED has denied the request.
Earlier, Malik’s brother Kaptan Malik was also been summoned by the agency. Earlier in February, 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. Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party had demanded the resignation of the State Minister but the Maha Vikas Agadhi (MVA– comprising Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP) government has rejected the demand for Nawab Malik’s resignation.
Following Nawab Malik’s arrest by ED, his daughter Nilofer Malik said the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader speaks fearlessly and that is why the central agencies are going after the family. “We have been hearing for the last 2-3 months that ED will come. Our father (Nawab Malik) told us to be careful but we have done everything right. My father speaks fearlessly that is why ED and Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) are behind us,” Nilofer told ANI. “I am sure my father will come out. This is a judicial battle and we will fight. Every Muslim who has been in public such as activists are being linked by some to D-company. This is very unfair to us as Muslims,” she added. It is worth mentioning that Sameer Khan, Nawab Malik’s son-in-law, was arrested in January last year by NCB for dealing with commercial quantities of the drug. He was granted bail on 27 September, after eight months in prison.