Nawab Malik Maharashtra govt says Nawab Malik won't resign after arrest by ED in money laundering case
Mumbai/IBNS: Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik, who was arrested on Wednesday after questioning by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering case linked to fugitive terrorist Dawood Ibrahim, said he will not resign or bow down.
He will be in the agency's custody till March 3.
"I have been forcibly brought here. They should have sent summons first but they picked me up from my house," Malik said when he was put in the witness box.
Waving his fist in the air to the waiting media persons while stepping out of the ED office, Malik said he won't bow down.
"We will fight and win, and expose everyone," he said.
Stating that Malik will not resign, Maharashtra minister Chhagan Bhujbal said, "In the last 30 years, no one took the name of Nawab Malik in connection with the Mumbai blast. But now he is speaking against Union government, hence to shut his mouth, he was arrested today."
A peaceful protest will be held on Friday against the arrest near Mahatma Gandhi Memorial in front of Mantralaya, he added.
Malik was taken into custody after six hours of interrogation at the ED office, shortly after ED officials went to his residence in Kurla early in the morning and asked him preliminary questions.
After arrest, Malik was taken to the J J Hospital for a medical check up.
He is the second Maharashtra Minister to be arrested by a central probe agency in four months. Former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh was arrested by the ED in November last year.
Malik had earlier made a series of allegations against former Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Mumbai head Sameer Wankhede and also the ED.
According to officials, Malik was arrested for an alleged deal on a Kurla property 17 years ago which was said to be owned by a couple of close associates of Dawood Ibrahim.
The issue was first highlighted by Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis in November 2021.
Soon after Malik was taken away, NCP President Sharad Pawar, Minister Jayant Patil, MP Supriya Sule, spokesperson Vidya Chavan, MLA Rohit Pawar, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut and others slammed the ED for its "selective" targeting of Sena and NCP leaders.
Reacting to the allegations against Malik, Sharad Pawar said invoking Dawood was a convenient way to sully someone's reputation.
"I don't know about the case against him but Dawood's name has always been invoked to try to defame rivals," he said.
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