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Maharashtra

Malik becomes first serving Maha minister to be held for money laundering, sent to 8-day ED custody

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A special PMLA court in Mumbai on Wednesday remanded Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik to eight-day ED custody till March 3, nearly 15 hours after his pre-dawn dramatic detention, interrogation and arrest in an alleged money-laundering case arising out of a tainted land deal.

Malik was produced by the Enforement Directorate (ED) before the special court eight hours after his detention and arrest on Wednesday evening, following which a furious legal battle ensued for his 14-day remand with the defence team opposing the same.

The development gave a massive jolt to the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government as Malik became the first sitting Cabinet minister to be arrested, sending tremors in the political circles.

After a series of meetings with top leaders of Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress, it was decided that irrespective of the court orders, Malik would not be compelled to resign as the Minority Affairs Minister.

On Wednesday afternoon, ED Assistant Director Niraj Kumar said in his arrest order that the agency had “reason to believe” that Malik “has been found guilty of an offence punishable under the provisions of PMLA,” and accordingly placed him under arrest at 2.45 pm.

Shortly after the formal arrest, Malik was whisked away by an ED team to a government hospital for a medical check-up from where he was taken to the designated special PMLA court.

Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh represented the ED while senior counsel Amit Desai appeared on Malik’s behalf, as the minister’s colleagues, political activists and relatives reached the court.

While he was escorted out of the ED office by the CISF, police and ED staff, a grinning Malik in a white kurta-pyjama was seen raising a fist in the air, and declaring: “Jhookenge Nahin, Ladenge Aur Jeetenge” (Will not succumb, will fight and win) to his supporters as he was made to sit in a vehicle.

The fast-paced developments started with an ED team along with a CISF team knocking at Malik’s home at around 4.30 am and taking him away a couple of hours later for questioning in the 17-year-old Kurla land deal case having a mafia taint, with an alleged money-laundering angle emerging from it.

The ED had deployed teams of the CISF and Mumbai Police for the operation even as a large number of NCP workers staged a noisy protest outside the agency’s office since morning to protest against the detention of Malik.

Malik, 62, became the first sitting minister and the second senior NCP leader in the MVA government to be arrested by the ED. Former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh was arrested by the ED on November 2, 2021 in alleged corruption and money-laundering cases.

Malik’s arrest triggered hectic political activity with NCP President Sharad Pawar rushing to meet Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil, Chhagan Bhujbal Balasaheb Thorat, Ashok Chavan and others in an urgent meeting held on Wednesday evening.

The MVA partners and top leaders like Pawar, Jayant Patil, Supriya Sule, Majeed Memon, Chhagan Bhujbal, Vidya Chavan, Sanjay Raut, Kishore Tiwari, Nana Patole, Chavan, Naseem Khan, and others slammed the ED for the action against Malik, saying they would not be “cowed down” by the vendetta politics and targetting of opponents, and “silencing” them by letting loose central probe agencies on them.

Simultaneously, the opposition BJP sharpened its swords and intensified efforts to bring down the MVA government before its declared deadline of March 10.

Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis termed the matter as “extremely serious” since the land worth crores of rupees was allegedly grabbed at a throwaway price with persons linked to absconding mafia don Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar, colluding with enemies of the country, and the proceeds were laundered for terror funding and anti-national activities.

BJP state President Chandrakant Patil demanded that since Malik has been arrested, he should quit, as also all other ministers facing various allegations should resign from the Cabinet immediately, failing which the BJP would launch an agitation on the streets.

The MVA leaders announced a sit-in at the statue of Mahatma Gandhi near Mantralaya at Nariman Point on Thursday morning, besides announcing statewide protests against Malik’s arrests, highlighting how the central probe agencies are being misused to topple the Maharashtra government and other states ruled by the Opposition parties.

Maharashtra

Anti-drug rally of Govindi Samajwadi Party leader and MLA Abu Asim Azmi

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Mumbai: A massive anti-drug rally was taken out today under the leadership of Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Asim Azmi to draw attention to the serious problem of drug addiction and illegal drug trade in Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar assembly constituency and to create public awareness against it.

Thousands of workers and local citizens participated in the rally. Protesters took to the streets and demanded strict action against the illegal drug trade and appealed to the youth to stay away from drugs.
The main objective of the rally was to free the youth of the area from the clutches of drugs and to put pressure on the administration to stop this illegal trade. Abu Asim Azmi himself led the rally and stressed the need for immediate and strict action against the drug problem in the area. Not only party workers but also a large number of mothers, sisters, young and old citizens of the area participated in the demonstration, highlighting the seriousness of the problem.

The drug problem in Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar constituency has been a topic of discussion for many years and it is badly affecting the lives of local citizens. By organizing this rally, MLA Azmi has once again shown his determination to solve this important problem faced by the citizens of his constituency. Speaking on the occasion, MLA Abu Asim Azmi warned the administration: “Immediate and strict action should be taken against those involved in the illegal drug trade, otherwise the Samajwadi Party and the local citizens will intensify the protest.” The rally proved to be an important rally in drawing attention to the social and health problems of the Mankhurdshivaji Nagar area.

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Maharashtra

A new police station should be established in Govandi Shivaji Nagar. Maharashtra SP leader Abu Asim Azmi demands from Police Commissioner Devin Bharti

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abu aasim aazmi

Mumbai: Maharashtra Samajwadi Party leader and MLA Abu Asim Azmi has demanded the establishment of a new police station in Shivaji Nagar constituency from Mumbai Police Commissioner Devin Bharti. He said that the old police station has been shifted to Mahada, which makes it very difficult to reach the police station from the SMS company area and it takes half an hour to an hour. In such a situation, a new police station should be established in Shivaji Nagar constituency. There has been an increase in drug abuse, crimes and other incidents in Shivaji Nagar and Govindi areas, along with an increase in the population here. It is necessary to establish a police station in proportion to the population, while the presence of police stations and personnel is not there in proportion to the population. He said that Police Commissioner Devin Bharti has said that after the recruitment of police, the police station will be established and manpower will be deployed in the police stations. Along with this, Abu Asim Azmi has also accused the local administration of irregularities in the distribution of funds along with the establishment of the police station. He said that now the corporation and The BMC election has not been held, there are Samajwadi Party corporators here but they are not being provided funds, but whoever joins the Shinde group is provided funds, this is complete injustice and therefore the funds should be distributed equally. He said that the government has no concern with the slum areas, the police presence will remain in Walkashore, Malabar Hill and Cuffe Parade, but there is no police presence in the slum areas and there is a shortage of them, that is why the bat chowki that we have built with our own funds in Govindi is also empty, there is no police personnel in it.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai Accident: 1 Killed, 6 Others Injured As Speeding Tempo Traveller Crashes Into BEST Bus In Dadar

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Mumbai: A speeding tempo traveller crashed into a BEST bus and two other vehicles in Dadar late Sunday night, killing one and injuring six, including three brothers. The victim was identified as Shahabuddin Zainulabdeen Shaikh, 37, a clothes vendor, said the Shivaji Park police, adding that medical examination confirmed that the driver, Sandesh Kumbhar, 27, was driving under the influence of alcohol.

Preliminary investigation revealed that Kumbhar, a resident of Wadala, was driving in a rash and negligent manner. According to BEST, the fatal mishap occurred around 11.30 pm near the Dadar Plaza bus stop, when a tempo traveller, heading towards Shivaji Park, lost control. It collided with the front right side of a BEST bus that was en route to Pratiksha Nagar from the Worli depot.

After crashing into the bus, the tempo traveller also struck a taxi and another tourist vehicle, damaging both. “The impact caused the bus to veer left, hitting pedestrians and passengers waiting at the stop. Shahabuddin, a pedestrian, died on the spot,” said an official.

Those injured were identified as brothers Rahul Padale, 30, Rohit Padale, 33, and Akshay Padale, 25. The remaining three are Vidya Mote, 30, Abhishek Rautkar, 24, and Abdul Nadir, 23. While Nadir is from Wadala, the rest are from Sion. They were immediately rushed to Sion Hospital with the help of the bus conductor and local police personnel. The police have registered a case of accidental death against Kumbhar.

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