Nawab Malik arrest Updates: NCP leader sent to ED custody till March 3

Maharashtra Minority Affairs Minister Nawab Malik was "actively" involved in terror funding, the ED told a special PMLA court here on Wednesday while seeking his custody following arrest in a money laundering probe linked to the activities of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and his aides. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) made this claim while seeking the 62-year-old NCP leader's custody for interrogation in the money laundering probe linked to the activities of Ibrahim and his aides.

Dawood Ibrahim's brother Iqbal Kaskar will be presented in court tomorrow by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), as it is also the last day of his custody under ED.

NCP leader Nawab Malik has been remanded to custody till March 3, in a money laundering case against him involving Dawood Ibrahim. 

NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal came out in support of Nawab Malik on Wednesday after his arrest. He said that his arrest in the money laundering case is simply an attempt to silence those who speak. "Will legally fight this battle and I don't think Nawab's resignation should be sought as he is not at fault", he said. 

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee speaks to Sharad Pawar over phone. She condemned the role of the central agency and strongly protesting the arrested of Nawab Malik

NCP's emergency meeting ends. Sharad Pawar to leave for CM's office Varsha shortly to meet Uddhav Thackeray

Maharashtra Minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik produced before the Special PMLA court in Mumbai. Nawab Mallik says from witness box, "The statement recorded by ED of Salim Patel is a different Salim Patel."

ED seeks 14-day custody of Maharashtra minister

NCP ministers Ajit Pawar, Chagan Bhujbal, Rajesh Tope, Dilip Valse Patil, and other leaders are present at Sharad Pawar's Silver Oak residence. Another meeting is likely to take place CM Uddhav Thackerary's residence 'Varsha' to decide Maha Vikas Aghadi's next course of action after Nawab Malik's arrest.

Several NCP leaders have reached the residence of NCP chief Sharad Pawar and have urged him not to seek Nawab Malik's resignation. Congress leaders have also reached and a meeting will begin soon.

NCP's meeting at chief Sharad Pawar's residence has begun. Dilip Walse Patil, Ajit Pawar, Chhagan Bhujbal, Hasan Mushrif, Rajesh Tope are present in the meeting

Nawab Malik is accused of buying land parcels from people linked with the underworld. He purchased a property worth Rs 4 crore at merely Rs 40 lakh. 

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said if BJP is scared of someone, it brings agencies (ED) to defame them (Nawab Malik) and sends them to prison after false trials. We've seen this multiple times, BJP once said it's in danger after a pouch was found in the Assembly, which actually was sawdust.

All the NCP ministers have been asked to reach Mumbai. The NCP is a constituent of the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra. Besides NSP, Shiv Sena and Congress are other constituents. It is led by Uddhav Thackeray.

ASG Anil Desai said that Dawood Ibrahim is involved in money laundering, drug trafficking and other activities. Dawood Ibrahim is also working with the terrorist group - Jaish-e-Mohammed. Dawood's sister looks after his businesses in Mumbai. 

ASG Anil Singh will represent the ED in the court while Amit Desai will represent Nawab Malik. Malik was arrested this afternoon by the ED in a money-laundering probe linked to the activities of Dawood Ibrahim and his aides.

Nawab Malik tells the court that he was detained by the ED from his residence. He said that the ED didn't serve him the summons. 

Maharashtra Minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik produced before the Special PMLA court in Mumbai. Maharashtra Minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik produced before the Special PMLA court in Mumbai.

ED continues to work on their master's command who is BJP, it is really unfortunate: Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi

Earlier in the day, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said Malik is being troubled because he spoke against the Union government and misuseö of central probe agencies. "Which case have they dug up? It is simple. They take the name of Dawood, especially if there is a Muslim activist (against whom a case is dug up). There is no relation (between the activist concerned and underworld), but it is done," Pawar said.

Nawab Malik is considered to be a close confidante of veteran leader Sharad Pawar. Malik, who is also NCP spokesperson, is one of the most prominent leaders of NCP that is largely centered in Maharashtra only. Malik, a five-time MLA from Mumbai's Anushakti Nagar constituency, is NCP's top Muslim face. He had started his political journey with the Congress and joined the Samajwadi Party later. He walked into Pawar's NCP after being expelled from the Samajwadi Party. FULL STORY 

NCP chief Sharad Pawar has called an emergency meeting of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Minister Dilip Walse Patil today at 5 PM to discuss developments following the arrest of Nawab Malik.

Nawab Malik's arrest order 

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut warned the BJP's "Mahatmas" to be prepared for their fate after the 2024 elections and slammed the ED for its selective targeting. "Nawab Malik is a senior leader and Maharashtra's cabinet minister. The way in which he was taken from his home by ED is a challenge to the Maharashtra government," he said. "A minister is taken away by central agencies by coming to our state. After 2024, you will be probed too. Keep this in mind," Raut added. FULL STORY 

NCP leader and Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik was not cooperating in the questioning, Sources say, news agency ANI reported.

Nawab Malik has been arrested, he should resign now. We demand his resignation. If he doesn't, we will protest. How are they running the govt? There's a long list of allegations against Maharashtra Ministers, will get tired reading it: Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrakant Patil

Meanwhile, BJP state president Chandrakant Patil told reporters in Pune that if leaders of the NCP and other MVA constituents think that the ED's action against Nawab Malik is misuse of power, they can approach court to seek justice. "We (BJP) have been subjected to injustice for the last 27 months (by the state government), but when our 12 MLAs were suspended, we went to court and got justice. Similarly, if they think that victimisation is happening, they should approach the court," he said. 

Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole claimed that action against Nawab Malik was an act of "revenge" and the need of the hour was to unitedly fight against the tactics to silence political opponents. Patole, whose party shares power with the Shiv Sena and NCP in Maharashtra, said the Congress stood firmly with Malik, who has been raising his voice against the BJP's "anti-people" policies and "arrogance of power". "We will discuss such actions by central probe agencies and unitedly fight against the tactics to silence political.opponents," the Congress leader said. He also accused the BJP of maligning Maharashtra for the sake of power. 

Maharashtra Minority Affairs Minister Nawab Malik, who was on Wednesday arrested in a money laundering probe linked to the activities of the Mumbai underworld, said he won't bow down. "Will fight and win. Won't bow down," Malik said waving to waiting media as he stepped out of the ED office in south Mumbai after spending eight hours there. "Will expose all," he said, before being taken by ED officials in a vehicle for medical check-up. The minister later tweeted a video clip of him making those remarks. His office also tweeted, "Main jhukega nahi! (won't bow down)."

Malik's alleged links in relation to some property deals are said to be under the radar of the federal probe agency and hence his questioning was necessitated. The minister had been in the news for the last few months after he made a number of personal and service-related allegations of wrongdoing against former Mumbai NCB zonal director Sameer Wankhede. Malik's son-in-law Sameer Khan was also arrested in a drugs case by the Narcotics Control Bureau's Mumbai unit last year.

Malik is the second Maharashtra Minister to be arrested by the ED within a year. Last year, Anil Deshmukh was arrested by the ED in connection with a money laundering case which was made out after the CBI booked him in a graft case related to allegations of at least Rs 100 crore bribery made by former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh. Anil Deshmukh who also is an NCP leader had to resign from Uddhav's Cabinet. He held the Home portfolio.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Maharashtra Minority Affairs Minister Nawab Malik on Wednesday in a money-laundering probe linked to the activities of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and his aides, officials said. The 62-year-old NCP leader was taken into custody after he was questioned for about five hours at the ED office in south Mumbai's Ballard Estate area since around 8 AM. His statement was recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and he was arrested under the same provisions as he was evasive in his replies, the officials said. His party said he was taken by the ED from his residence at around 6 AM.