ED submits 5,000-page charge sheet against Nawab Malik

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday submitted an around 5,000-page chargesheet against NCP leader and Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik in the Special PMLA court, in connection with a money laundering case.

Statements of more than 50 people have been recorded, according to the chargesheet. ED said in the chargesheet that the agency summoned Malik’s sons of several times and his brother Kaptan Malik was also summoned however, they did not cooperate in the investigation and skipped the summons. Earlier last week, ED attached properties belonging to Malik and his family under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.

The Supreme Court on Friday will hear Malik’s plea filed against an order of the Bombay High Court which had rejected his interim application seeking immediate release in a case of money laundering being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate. A bench of Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and Surya Kant will hear the plea of Malik. Earlier, a bench headed by Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana agreed to list the case for hearing after senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Malik, mentioned the matter for urgent listing of the case. Malik has challenged the 15 March order of the Bombay High Court which had rejected his application saying just because the special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court’s order remanding him in custody is not in his favour, it does not make that order illegal or wrong.

ED had arrested Minorities Development Minister Malik on 23 February over a property deal allegedly linked to the aides of gangster Dawood Ibrahim. Soon after his arrest, the minister had filed a habeas corpus plea.