Rashid Alvi terms Nawab Malik's arrest 'politically motivated', calls ED 'puppet' of BJP

In line with statements from other Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) ministers, Congress leader Rashid Alvi also termed Nawab Malik’s arrest – ‘politically motivated'. The Congress leader further added that Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials should be punished if ‘accused are not found guilty’.

Maharashtra Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Nawab Malik was sent to eight days of ED remand until March 3 in connection with a money laundering case involving underworld don Dawood Ibrahim. 

Rashid Alvi says Nawab Malik arrested because he speaks against the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP):

"Nawab Malik's arrest is politically motivated. Is the ED doing independent work? Nawab Malik used to speak against BJP, hence they pulled him to jail. What is the relation of BJP and ED? Why are Ashok Gehlot, Akhilesh Yadav, Mamata Banerjee being troubled? Don't make India like Pakistan, these things used to happen in Pakistan. ED, income tax are the puppets of the BJP Govt. Why are they not taking action against corruption in ram mandir land? ED and CBI officials should be punished if the accused are not found guilty," added the Congress leader. 

Devendra Fadnavis slams MVA leaders for backing Nawab Malik

Reacting to Nawab Malik's colleagues backing him, former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday called the ED's allegations against him 'grave'. Addressing a press conference shortly after Malik's 8-day remand to ED custody, the Maharashtra LoP asserted that the MVA Government was sending a 'wrong message' to the country by backing their minister.

Presenting the facts of the case, Fadnavis stated that hundreds of crores worth of land was purchased by Nawab Malik via the underworld, and the woman who owned the land had informed the ED that she didn't receive a penny. "The important thing to note here is that the person who forcibly took over the land is a 1993 Mumbai blast convict who is currently in jail, the other is the frontman of Hasina Parkar, through which Dawood would do terror funding and money-laundering," said Fadnavis.

Nawab Malik arrest details

The Special PMLA court in Mumbai on Wednesday, February 23, sent Maharashtra Minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik to eight days of ED remand until March 3. In its remand copy, the ED mentioned that the association of Malik with D-company members was clear from the statements of witnesses and the documents obtained by ED from authorities and in the course of its searches.