The Supreme Court has granted a three-month extension to the temporary bail previously provided to Nawab Malik, the former Maharashtra minister and prominent NCP leader, due to medical reasons in a money laundering case. This extension comes as his request for bail on health grounds is still pending. The order was issued by a bench consisting of Justices Bela M Trivedi and Dipankar Datta on Thursday.
Earlier, on August 11, a bench comprising Justice Aniruddha Bose and Justice Bela M Trivedi had granted temporary bail for two months on medical grounds. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Enforcement Directorate (ED), did not oppose this temporary bail. The Supreme Court had clarified that their order was based solely on medical conditions and did not delve into the merits of the case.
On July 13, the Bombay High Court had rejected Nawab Malik’s plea for bail on health grounds in the money laundering case. His plea for bail based on the merits of the case is still pending before the court.
Malik had sought relief from the High Court, claiming that he was suffering from a chronic kidney disease, among other ailments. However, the High Court ruled that there were no compelling reasons to grant interim medical bail.
Following this decision, Malik sought medical bail from the Supreme Court.
The Enforcement Directorate had arrested the former minister in February of the previous year in connection with a money laundering case related to the Goawala compound property in Kurla, allegedly linked to the fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim. Malik had been in judicial custody since March 2022. He was admitted to Criticare Hospital in Kurla, Mumbai, in May 2022, and remained in the hospital until his release as per the Supreme Court’s order.
The investigation by the ED focuses on a property transaction in which Malik allegedly entered into an agreement with Haseena Parkar, the sister of Dawood Ibrahim. There are allegations that Malik purchased 3 acres of land at Goawala Compound on LBS Marg in Kurla, Mumbai, for Rs 85 lakh, with only Rs 30 lakh being shown in the sale agreement, and the remainder paid in cash. The ED has asserted that the registered value of the property was significantly lower than the prevailing market rate.
