`Nawab Malik has close links with Mumbai blast convicts, underworld`: Devendra Fadnavis makes sensational claim

MUMBAI: Former Maharashtra chief minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday claimed that state minister and senior NCP leader Nawab Malik has close connections with 1993 Mumbai serial blast convicts and the underworld.

“Nawab Malik has dealings with people from the underworld, people convicted in the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts case. He purchased land from convicts of the case on rates cheaper than market rates. Was this deal to save prime land from being forfeited under TADA law?” Fadnavis said while addressing a press conference in Mumbai.

Fadnavis further said that Nawab Malik's son bought land from a Mumbai bombing accused on LBS Road in 2005. Exposing details of an alleged land deal between Nawab Malik's son and a D-gang member, Fadnavis claimed that Sardar Shah Wali Khan and Salim Patel sold a piece of land on the LBS road to a company named SOLIDUS.

"This company belongs to Nawab Malik's family. Nawab Malik was part of SOLIDUS," he claimed.

Fadnavis also claimed that he had documents of five such property deals and would hand over the same to the appropriate authorities. He would also submit the documents to Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar to let him know what his party functionaries were indulging in.

"There is a direct connection with the underworld. I have documents of five property deals. Four properties were purchased from those connected with the underworld. I will ascertain which appropriate authorities, whether it is the police, ED, NIA, and hand it over to them," Fadnavis said.

Fadnavis made these sensational claims in the wake of a series of controversies following the arrest of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan in a drugs bust case aboard a Goa-bound cruise last month. 

Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik had recently tweeted a photo of alleged drug peddler Jaydeep Rana with Amruta Fadnavis and claimed that he had links with former state Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The picture was apparently taken during the recording of Amruta Fadnavis' river anthem project in 2018. Nawab Malik said Rana was the finance head of the project.

Addressing a press conference, Nawab Malik had said, "One Jaydeep Rana currently in jail in connection with a drug trafficking case has relations with former CM Devendra Fadnavis. He was the financial head of the famous river song sung by former CM's wife Amrita Fadnavis. The drug business in the state grew under his tenure."

Hitting back at Malik, Fadnavis said that the photos tweeted by Nawab Malik were of a person hired by an organisation called River March. "This person clicked pictures with everyone, including my wife and me," Devendra Fadnavis said. The BJP leader also said he would soon expose Nawab Malik's links with the underworld.

"Those who have connections with the underworld shouldn't speak. I will soon expose Malik's links with the underworld,’’ Fadnavis had said during a previous press briefing.

Nawab Malik has also levelled a slew of allegations against NCB Mumbai zonal director Sameer Wankhede, including illegal phone tapping and the use of forged documents to secure his job.

While attacking NCB official Sameer Wankhede, Malik had claimed the NCB officer was the kingpin of the drugs racket running in Mumbai and was appointed by former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.