NCP minister Nawab Malik was on Wednesday arrested by the officials of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with their ongoing probe into money laundering case registered against Dawood Ibrahim and his aides. ED team had landed at Malik's Kurla residence early morning and then Mailk accompanied ED officials to their Ballard Estate office where he was enquired for several hours.
According to the ED, a team of officials had reached Malik's residence around 5-5:30 am and had informed Malik that they wanted to make enquiries with him in connection with a money laundering case. Malik then accompanied ED officials to the office around 8:45 am.
Malik's arrest order of ED stated that he was arrested around 2:45 pm on Wednesday. "Malik has been found guilty of an offence punishable under PMLA," the arrest order stated.
Meanwhile, several workers of NCP protested near party office at Ballard Estate condemning the arrest. The police had ensured that the crowd does not reach in close proximity of the ED office where the senior minister was being questioned.
Malik was taken to JJ hospital for medical examination after which he was taken to the Special PMLA Court where the agency sought his custody. Malik while being taken to the court said "Ladenge Aur Jeetengey."
The agency officials claimed that Malik's deal with an aide of Dawood Ibrahim Sardar Shahvali Khan and late Haseena Parkar's bodyguard Salim Patel is under the ED's scanner. Haseena Parkar was the sister of Dawood Ibrahim.
Last year, Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis had alleged that property worth crores was bought at mere Rs 30 lakhs by Nawab Malik from Sardar Shahvali Khan and Salim Patel.
ED last week had carried out searches at multiple locations in Mumbai, in connection with a money-laundering probe against Dawood Ibrahim and his associates, Anees Ibrahim and Chhota Shakeel. The ED searches comes after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had recently registered an offence against Dawood Ibrahim and six others under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
The ED had also examined Shakeel's close relative Salim Qureshi alias Salim Fruit and Haseena's son Alishah in the case. The federal agency had also taken custody of Dawood's brother Iqbal Kaskar in the case.
