MUMBAI: A Maharashtra Minister was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering case linked to the activities of the Mumbai underworld, fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and his criminal gangs. Nawab Malik, an NCP leader and one of the prominent faces in the party, was taken into custody by the ED. He is the Minister for Minority Affairs in Maharashtra.

Nawab 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. But, Nawab 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.

The ED officials reached his home at 6 am where he was questioned for an hour. He was then brought to the ED office and questioned again for close to eight hours. On learning about Malik’s interrogation, some NCP activists reached the spot and chanted slogans against the central government.

Mr Malik had recently made headlines for attacking the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede, the officer who led the raid on a cruise ship and arrested 20 people including superstar Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan Khan. He had also reacted strongly against the central agencies in the arrest of Aryan Khan. He had alleged that the agencies were targeting those who spoke against the central government.

The BJP leaders have retaliated strongly against the NCP for criticizing the minister’s arrest. Dawood Ibhrahim is an accused in the blast case that left many innocents dead.