New Delhi: Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik's judicial custody in a case linked to Dawood Ibrahim was on Monday (April 4, 2022) extended till April 18.


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The NCP leader was arrested on February 23 by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money-laundering probe linked to the fugitive gangster and his aides. The NCP leader was in ED's custody till March 7 and was later sent to judicial custody till March 21.


On March 21, Malik was produced before a special court, designated to hear cases related to the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), and Special Judge RN Rokade had extended his judicial custody till April 4. The court had also allowed his application seeking a bed, mattress and chair in jail, but directed him to not misuse this permission.


Earlier on April 2, Malik had moved to the Supreme Court against an order of the Bombay High Court which had rejected his interim application seeking immediate release in a case of money laundering.


In his plea which was drafted by advocate Ankur Chawla, Malik had challenged the March 15 order of the division bench of the high court which had rejected the application saying just because the special PMLA court's order remanding him in custody is not in his favour, it does not make that order illegal or wrong.


After the Enforcement Directorate had arrested Malik under the provisions of the PMLA, he had filed a habeas corpus plea in the high court claiming that his arrest by the ED and the consequent remands were illegal.


The high court had said that Malik's counsel had argued before the PMLA court and vehemently opposed the ED's request for the minister's custody.


The central agency has accused Malik of being part of an alleged criminal conspiracy to usurp a property in Mumbai's Kurla area which currently has a market value of Rs 300 crore and belongs rightfully to one Munira Plumber.


Malik, however, had contended before the high court that he had bought the property in a bonafide transaction three decades ago, and Plumber has now changed her mind about the transaction. 


(With agency inputs)