Enforcement Directorate arrests Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik

Nationalist Congress Party leader Nawab Malik has been arrested in connection with a money laundering case by the Enforcement Directorate. 

Nationalist Congress Party leader Nawab Malik has been arrested on Wednesday in connection with a money laundering case by the Enforcement Directorate. Malik was arrested after being interrogated for eight hours this morning. He was picked up from his residence around 7 am.

After being held, NCP leader informed that he has been arrested. "I'm not afraid. We shall fight and win," he added. According to the investigative agency sources,  Malik was under the ED lens over financial transactions. The sources added that the leader was arrested as he was  not cooperating with the agency during the questioning.

Malik was arrested only days after the central investigation agency opened a new case and conducted searches in Mumbai in connection with underworld operations. The ED raided roughly ten addresses, including those associated to Dawood Ibrahim's late sister Haseena Parkar, brother Iqbal Kaskar, and Salim Qureshi aka Salim Fruit.

Malik, a minister in the Maharashtra government, was being questioned in connection with alleged land dealings involving Dawood Ibrahim's aides. Earlier in day, alliance partner Shiv Sena had slammed the ED action against Nawab Malik.

"Nawab Malik is a Maharashtra cabinet minister and senior leader. The manner in which he was taken from his residence by the Enforcement Directorate is a challenge to the Maharashtra government. A minister is taken away by a central agency after coming to our state. After 2024, you (BJP) will be probed too. Keep this in mind," Sena leader Sanjay Raut said.