ED attaches multiple properties of Nawab Malik

The ED also said rent of Rs 11.70 crore was received from the properties in two entities controlled by Nawab Malik. File pic

The Enforcement Directorate attached properties of Maharashtra cabinet Minister Nawab Malik under the anti-money laundering law and over his alleged underworld links on Wednesday. The ED attached multiple properties ahead of the hearing of his plea before the Supreme Court seeking immediate release from prison. Malik was arrested by ED on February 23 and has been lodged in Mumbai's Arthur Road Jail.

According to the ED, properties in the names of members of Malik's family and M/s Solidus Investments Pvt Ltd and M/s Malik Infrastructure were provisionally attached. The properties include Goawala Compound, Kurla West and a commercial unit at Kurla West and agricultural land in Osmanabad measuring 59.81 hectares. There were also three flats in Kurla and two flats in Bandra, the agency has said.

The ED also said rent of Rs 11.70 crore was received from the properties in two entities controlled by Malik namely Solidus Investments Pvt Ltd and Malik Infrastructure. "The ED today provisionally attached properties belonging to Mr Mohammed Nawab Mohammed Islam Malik alias Nawab Malik, his family members, M/s Solidus Investments Pvt Ltd & M/s Malik Infrastructure under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002," the agency said in statement.

The agency initiated a money laundering investigation against Malik following the FIR registered by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) against Dawood Ibrahim and his close associates. The FIR also stated that Ibrahim, after he left India, started controlling criminal activities in India through his close associates such as Haseena Parkar alias Haseena Aapa and others.

The investigation by ED revealed that in one such case, prime property of Munira Plumber was usurped by Malik through Solidus Investments Pvt Ltd, a company owned by his family members and controlled by him, with active connivance of the members of D-Gang including Parkar. The cabinet minister, whose interim application for bail was rejected by high court, has moved SC through senior advocate Kapil Sibal seeking immediate release from prison.

A bench headed by Chief Justice NV Ramana has agreed to list the matter on urgent basis but has not given any date. Sibal has told the court that the PMLA Act came into existence in 2002 and the transaction of Malik's properties is prior to 2000.