The Enforcement Directorate today arrested NCP leader and Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik in connection with Dawood Ibrahim money laundering case. Malik was allegedly taken for questioning by the ED officials earlier today in a money laundering probe linked to the activities of the Mumbai underworld, fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and his aides.
The news agency ANI reported quoting sources that Malik was not cooperating in the questioning, which went on for over seven hours. The ED was recording his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). According to the ED officials, Nawab Malik is accused of being involved in some property deals that are under the radar of the Enforcement Directorate.
“I have been arrested, but won’t be scared. We will fight and win,” said Malik after being arrested by the federal agency.
After the news of Malik being arrested, NCP workers gathered outside the Enforcement Directorate office and raised slogans.
Maharashtra leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis had in November last year alleged that Nawab Malik and his family purchased properties from people allegedly linked to the underworld. Fadnavis had alleged that the minister and his family members bought land parcels in Kurla from Saleem Ishaq Patel and Sardar Shah Wali Khan using fake documents. Fadnavis also claimed that Malik paid far less than the actual price of the property.
The central agency’s action came after registration of a new case and raids conducted by it on February 15 in Mumbai in connection with the operations of the underworld, Dawood’s aides, linked to alleged illegal property deals and hawala transactions. The raids were conducted at 10 locations, including premises linked to 1993 Mumbai blasts mastermind Dawood Ibrahim’s late sister Haseena Parkar, brother Iqbal Kaskar and Salim Qureshi alias Salim Fruit, brother-in-law of gangster Chhota Shakeel. Kaskar, who was already in jail, was arrested by the agency last week. It also questioned Salim Qureshi and Parkar’s son.
(With inputs from PTI)