Nawab Malik attacks ex-MP Kirit Somaiya; claims 'a BJP leader will be arrested next week'

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik on Saturday claimed that an FIR will be registered against a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader next week and he will be arrested. His remarks come after former MP Kirit Somaiya levelled fraud allegations against him in the Pune Waqf land matter. Malik added that defamation of the Maharashtra government by the Enforcement Directorate needs to be stopped.

"Defamation of Maharashtra government by ED needs to be stopped. Kirit Somaiya has levelled allegations of fraud against me in the Waqf Board land matter. I want to apprise him that an FIR will be lodged against a BJP leader next week and he will be arrested," Nawab Malik said.

He alleged that ED officials have been telling the media that his house will be raided. "Today Kirit Somaiya said ED will visit my house in Waqf board land matter...Instead of this whispering campaign, they can directly ask me to appear, I will do so," the minority affairs minister stated.

In a cryptic tweet on Friday night, Nawab Malik had claimed that some "government guests" were going to come to his residence soon. Stating that he is not scared, the NCP leader said, "Gandhi ladhe the goron se, him ladenge choron se (Mahatma Gandhi had fought against British and we will fight against thieves).

In response, former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya said that if you are involved in the Pune Waqf Board land scam then the "government guest will not come to your residence you will have to be government guest."

Last month, the Maharashtra Minister had claimed that some unidentified persons tried to conduct a recce of his house and tried to gather details of him and his family members. He had also claimed that some Central agencies were trying to incriminate him in false cases.