Nawab Malik arrest: Bombay HC denies interim relief, Judicial custody to continue

New Delhi, Mar 15: The Bombay High Court refused to direct the release of Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Nawab Malik in an alleged money-laundering case.

"As certain debatable issues are raised, they require to be heard at length. Considering the grounds assigned by us we are not inclined to the prayers in the interim application. Applications rejected," court said.

Malik had filed the habeas corpus plea through his lawyers Taraq Sayed and Kushal More on Monday, terming his arrest by the ED as "illegal" and result of being "a vocal critic of the misuse of Central agencies".

The minister has sought quashing of the ED's Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) filed against him, his immediate release and a declaration that his arrest was 'illegal'.

Malik, 62, also prayed to set aside the special PMLA court's order remanding him to ED custody for eight days till March 3.

It may be recalled that Malik was arrested by the ED in an early morning swoop at his home on February 23 in an alleged money-laundering case based on the National Investigation Agency's February 3 FIR against absconding mafia don Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar.

The ED has contended that Malik, allegedly in connivance with members of the Dawood gang, hatched a conspiracy to grab the ancestral property of a woman in Kurla, Goawala Compound, at a throwaway price though it was worth around Rs 300 crore.