'What would you do in such situation?' Sharad Pawar speaks to Mamata Banerjee following arrest of Nawab Malik

MUMBAI: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday spoke to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the phone following the arrest of Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik in connection with a money laundering case. According to sources, Mamata has expressed her support and solidarity to Pawar.

The phone call lasted for nearly 10 minutes. Sources said that Pawar asked Mamata how she would have handled such a situation in Bengal. He also asked whether she had suspended her ministers who were arrested by the CBI in a corruption case.

During the last assembly elections, the CBI had targeted several Trinamool leaders in Bengal. Political observers believe that Sharad Pawar sought the advice of Mamata Banerjee because he had experience in dealing with such a situation in the past.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Enforcement Directorate arrested NCP leader Malik in connection with a money-laundering probe linked to the activities of the underworld, fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim.

Malik was found to be involved not only in money laundering along with Dawood Ibrahim's associates but also in real estate deals. The ED had conducted investigations in the matter. However, Malik did not cooperate with the investigation. Dawood Ibrahim’s brother Iqbal Kaskar was taken into custody in the same case. Nawab Malik was found to be involved in some of his real estate deals, following which he was arrested.