The special court on Thursday allowed Maharashtra Minority Affairs Minister Nawab Malik's plea seeking home food and medicines while he in custody of Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Special Judge R N Rokade also allowed his application for presence of his lawyer during interrogation from a visible distance but out of hearing range.
Malik was arrested on Wednesday by ED in a money-laundering probe linked to fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and his aides.
While Malik was remanded to ED’s custody till March 3 on Wednesday, he filed applications seeking permission to for home food, medicines and lawyer’s presence at the time of interrogation.
On Thursday, the court said that Malik is permitted to carry medicines with him. The ED officials are directed to provide necessary medicines to the accused as per his need.
The court has also directed ED officials to allow Malik to consume home cooked food which may be made available by his family members during his custody.
Allowing his plea, the court said: “Advocate Bhumika Gada is allowed to remain present while Interrogation of accused from a visible distance.”
The lawyer shall be made to sit at a distance beyond hearing, but within visible range. “She shall not make any consultation with the accused during the course of interrogation, the court said, adding the lawyer should not interfere in the probe in any manner,” added the court.
Malik was arrested on February 23 after being questioned by the ED for over five hours.
His statement was recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and was arrested as he was evasive in his replies, claimed ED.
The ED had filed a case following an FIR filed recently by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) against fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and others. The NIA had filed its criminal complaint under sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
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