Money laundering case: Nawab Malik was arrested in February 2022 by the ED in the case allegedly linked to activities of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and his associates
Nawab Malik. File Pic
The Bombay High Court on Thursday refused to grant bail on medical grounds to Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and former Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik in connection with a money laundering case being probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), reported news agency PTI.
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Nawab Malik was arrested in February 2022 by the ED in the case allegedly linked to activities of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and his associates.
The NCP leader is in judicial custody and currently undergoing treatment in a private hospital in Mumbai.
Nawab Malik had sought bail from the Bombay High Court on medical grounds, saying he was suffering from a chronic kidney disease apart from various other ailments. He also sought bail on merits, reported PTI.
A single bench of Justice Anuja Prabhudessai rejected Malik's plea seeking bail on medical grounds.
The court said it would hear his plea seeking bail on merits after two weeks.
According to PTI, Nawab Malik's counsel Amit Desai had argued his client's health was deteriorating since the last eight months and he was in stage 2 to stage 3 of a chronic kidney disease.
He urged the court to grant Nawab Malik bail considering his health condition and said if he is continued to be kept in such stressful conditions, then it would be fatal.
Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh, appearing for the ED, opposed the bail and said Malik is already in a hospital of his choice and is receiving medical treatment.
The ED's case against Malik is based on an FIR filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) against Dawood Ibrahim, a designated global terrorist and a key accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts, and his associates under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
On Monday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday submitted draft charges in a court in Mumbai against former Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik in a money laundering case linked to the activities of fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and his aides.
Special public prosecutor Sunil Gonsalves filed the draft charges before special judge R N Rokade.
Besides Malik, who is in jail, draft charges were filed against three other accused in the case and the matter was adjourned for hearing on July 24.
Draft charges are a step towards commencing trial in a criminal case. The court concerned has to hear both sides and decide which of the sections invoked by the investigating agency the accused can be charged with based on prima facie evidence.
The court will then read out to the accused the charges he will face during the trial, and once he pleads not guilty, the trial can commence.
(With inputs from PTI)
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