Mumbai: The Bombay High Court said it will hear on December 13 the bail plea filed by former Maharashtra cabinet minister Nawab Malik in a money laundering case against him involving underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, on medical grounds.
Justice MA Karnik was hearing a plea filed by Malik challenging the order of the special court rejecting his bail on November 30.
Malik’s advocates – Taraq Sayed and Kushal Mor – mentioned the plea before the court on Monday saying there is a medical emergency.
On November 30, Special judge RN Rokade had rejected Malik’s bail observing that prima facie there was evidence to indicate that there was a conspiracy between the deceased Hasina Parkar (Dawood’s sister), Salim Patel (linked to Dawood) and Malik to grab prime land owned by one Munira Plumber and her mother Mariyum Goawala.
The court had acknowledged that though Malik was not named in the scheduled offence, every process or activity fell within the ambit of the definition of money laundering.
The NCP leader has contended that despite finding flaws in the statement of the witness, Ms Plumber, the special court rejected his bail.
The NCP leader has been admitted to a private hospital in suburban Mumbai for medical treatment since May.
According to the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Mr Malik purchased a property at a rate lower than the market value from Mr Ibrahim.
In February, he was allegedly picked up from his residence at 7 am for interrogation. He was then made to sign the summons issued to him by the ED. After interrogation for over 8 hours, he was arrested and remanded to ED custody.
Earlier, Mr Malik had filed a habeas corpus (produce person in court) petition in the HC, which was dismissed. It was upheld by the Supreme Court.
After the special court trying case registers under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) took cognisance of the charge sheet in May 2022, Mr Malik filed for regular bail.
