Nawab Malik moves Bombay High Court for bail in money laundering case

The Bombay High Court will hear on Tuesday the bail plea filed by former Maharashtra cabinet minister Nawab Malik in a money laundering case against him involving underworld don Dawood Ibrahim..Malik moved High Court after a Mumbai special court had rejected his bail plea in the matter on November 30.Special judge RN Rokade had observed that prima facie, there was evidence to indicate that there was a conspiracy between the deceased Hasina Parkar, Salim Patel (linked to Dawood) and Malik to grab prime land owned by one Munira Plumber and her mother Mariyum Goawala.The Court had acknowledged that while Malik was not named in the scheduled offence but even otherwise, every process or activity, fell within the ambit of definition of money laundering.Malik has submitted before the High Court that despite finding flaws in statement of witness Munira Plumber, the special court rejected his bail.By doing so, the special court overlooked Malik’s medical condition which is critical, it has been contended. Malik is presently admitted to a private hospital for medical treatment..The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had arrested Malik on allegations that he had purchased a property at a rate lower than market value from Ibrahim.Malik was allegedly picked up from his residence at 7 am on February 23 for interrogation after he was made to sign the summons issued to him by ED..After interrogation for over 8 hours, Malik was arrested and remanded to ED custody for 8 days after which he has been remanded to judicial custody.Malik had also moved the Bombay High Court by way a Habeas Corpus petition which came to be dismissed. The same was upheld by the Supreme Court..After the Special PMLA Court took cognizance of the chargesheet in May 2022, Malik had filed for regular bail under Section 439 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.