In a development that caught the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has summoned the son-in-law of senior minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik on Wednesday.
Sameer Khan, who is married to Nilofar, the daughter of Malik, was seen entering the NCB's Mumbai zonal office. However, he refused to speak to the media.
Malik, who is the minority affairs minister, is a close aide of NCP supremo Sharad Pawar and party's chief spokesperson.
NCB's zonal director Sameer Wankhede confirmed the arrest on Wednesday night.
Khan was arrested based on the investigation done after the arrest of Karan Sajnani, a British national, Rahila Furniturewala, who is the manager of actor Dia Mirza, her sister Shaista Furniturewala and Ram Kumar Tiwari, the co-owner of Mucchad Paanwala, a popular paan shop.
"During the investigations, the role of Sameer Khan, a resident of Bandra, too came to light. He was called for examination and has been placed under arrest," Wankhede said.
The agency on Tuesday arrested Ramkumar Tiwari, one of the co-owners of the famous ''Muchhad Paanwala'' shop in Mumbai, which is frequented by celebrities, in connection with the same case. Tiwari was arrested based on the statement of Sajnani.
Meanwhile, BJP leader Kirit Somaiya asked Malik to respond to the development. "Nawab Malik, jawab do," he tweeted.
He also tweeted on the development tagging leader of opposition in Assembly Devendra Fadnavis, his counterpart in Council Pravin Darekar, state BJP president Chandrakant Patil.
Malik has not reacted yet and there are no comments from Shiv Sena, NCP or Congress - the three allies of the MVA government.