MUMBAI/KOLKATA: The arrest of Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik by the ED led to hectic parleys featuring NCP chief Sharad Pawar.
Malik belongs to NCP.
He holds the skill development portfolio and the minority affairs department in the Shiv Sena-led MVA government.
Pawar held conversations at his residence with some ministers.
He also got a call from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who urged him not to drop Malik from the cabinet.
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray also held meetings with senior cabinet colleagues.
Pawar called it a ploy of BJP to connect a Muslim to underworld don Dawood Ibraheem.
“The world knows that Nawab Malik was vocal against the misuse of central agencies. Therefore, he has been targeted. This is a deliberate act and blatant misuse of central agencies. We all arewith Malik,” Pawar said.
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said they are ready to sacrifice their lives but will not succumb to the pressure tactics.
“The Uddhav Thackeray government will complete five years despite pressure from central agencies and this witch hunt. We will fight. Today, BJP is in power, but in 2024, we will be in power. We will repay everything with interest,” Raut said.
NCP minister Chagan Bhujbal said Malik is not going to resign.
“We will not allow BJP the sadistic pleasure by asking Malik to resign. Allegations against him are politically motivated. He exposed the Narcotic Control Bureau. So action was taken against him in a 20-year-old property deal.”
Mamata called up Pawar and discussed what could be done.
“In a conversation with Pawar that lasted around 10 minutes, Mamata expressed her concern. She said this is nothing but BJP using central agencies against oppression parties. She also expressed her support and solidarity. She raised the issue that all oppositions parties should stand together against the BJP-led Central government because of such vindictive acts,” said a senior TMC leader in Kolkata.
In the recent past, Mamata has on several occasions criticised BJP for using central agencies to fulfill their political goals.
The CBI and the ED are probing chit fund cases against many TMC leaders and also investigating the Narada sting operation case, in which several TMC MLAs are accused.
"Will fight and win. Won't bow down," Malik said waving to waiting media as he stepped out of the ED office in south Mumbai after spending eight hours there.
"Will expose all," he said, before being taken by ED officials in a vehicle for medical check-up.
The minister later tweeted a video clip of him making those remarks.
His office also tweeted, "Main jhukega nahi! (won't bow down)."
He was brought to the central agency's office in south Mumbai, where he will have to spend the night, an official said.
A special court remanded the state Minority Affairs Minister to the custody of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) till March 3 in a money laundering probe linked to the activities of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and his aides.
Malik was arrested earlier in the day after being questioned for about five hours at the ED office in south Mumbai's Ballard Estate area since around 8 am.
The 62-year-old NCP leader was produced before special Judge R N Rokade, who remanded him in the ED custody for further probe into the matter.
"After the court hearing, Malik was brought to the ED office in Ballard Estate around 9 pm. The minister will have to spent this night at the ED office," the official said.
The senior NCP leader was brought to the central agency's office amid tight security of the CRPF personnel, he said.
While getting down from the vehicle at night, Malik once again waved at media persons, just like he had done in the afternoon after stepping out of the ED office after his questioning.
(With PTI Inputs)