Mumbai (Maharashtra): The Bombay High Court has refused to grant bail on medical grounds to former Maharashtra minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Nawab Malik in connection with a money laundering case being probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
The ED arrested 63-year-old Malik in February 2022 in the case allegedly linked to activities of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and his associates. Malik, a leader of the NCP is in judicial custody and currently undergoing treatment at a private hospital here.
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Malik had sought bail from the High Court on medical grounds, contending that he was suffering from a chronic kidney disease apart from various other ailments. He also sought bail on merits. A single bench of Justice Anuja Prabhudessai on Thursday rejected Malik's plea seeking bail on medical grounds. The bench said it would hear his plea seeking bail on merits after two weeks.
Malik's counsel Amit Desai argued that his client's health was deteriorating since the last eight months and he was in stage two to stage three of a chronic kidney disease. Desai urged the High Court to grant 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 Enforcement Directorate, opposed the bail and said Malik is already in a hospital of his choice and is receiving medical treatment. The case against Malik is based on an First Information Report (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.
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