Nawab Malik's interim release plea rejected by Bombay High Court

The minority affairs minister had challenged his arrest and as an interim prayer, sought that he be released from custody immediately

The Bombay High Court Tuesday rejected the plea of Nawab Malik seeking interim relief and release from jail even as the demand for resignation of the Maharashtra minister continued to grow. The court said just because the special PMLA court's order remanding him in custody is not in his favour, it does not make that order illegal or wrong.

Malik (62), the Minority Affairs Minister was arrested on February 23 by the Enforcement Directorate in an alleged money laundering case involving property deals with people linked to mafia don and terrorist Dawood Ibrahim.

Also Read | Police detain top BJP leaders including Fadnavis over protest demanding Nawab Malik's resignation

He is currently in judicial custody. “As certain debatable issues are raised, they require to be heard at length... we are not inclined to allow the prayers in the said applications. Resultantly, interim applications are rejected,” said a division bench of the Bombay High Court comprising Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice SM Modak.

Reacting to the development, Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis said that if the NCP leader is not made to quit it would be proven that the government is being run as per underworld don Dawood Ibrahim’s wishes.

“And now, the Bombay High Court has given the verdict! Even now if MVA does not accept Nawab Malik’s resignation, it will be proven that MVA runs as per Dawood’s pressure and accordance,” said Fadnavis.

"Under whose pressure you are... Dawood?," Fadnavis wanted to know as he lashed out at the MVA government.

Both Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and NCP supremo Sharad Pawar had earlier ruled out the resignation of Malik from the state Cabinet.

During the course of arguments, senior counsel Amit Desai, who along with advocates Taraq Sayed and Kushal Mor appearing for Malik, argued that he has been falsely implicated.

According to the ED charges, Malik had brought the Goawala Building properly in Kurla.

The power of attorney of the property was in the name of Sardar Shah Wali Khan, who is undergoing jail term in the 1993 blasts case and Salim Patel, the frontman of Dawood Ibrahim’s sister Hasina Parkar.

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