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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.

Crime

Palghar: ₹33 Lakh Jewellery Stolen From Naigaon Bungalow; Thieves Set Fire To Adjacent Shop, Four Arrested Within 8 Hours

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Maharashtra: In a shocking incident in Chandrapada, Naigaon East, thieves looted jewellery worth Rs 33 lakh from a bungalow and then set fire to an adjacent grocery shop. The Naigaon Police acted swiftly and arrested four accused, including a woman, within just eight hours of the incident.

The burglary took place at a bungalow named ‘Bhimai’, owned by Harshad Mhatre (39). Adjacent to the bungalow is a grocery store named Kamini. On Monday, Mhatre had left for Virar to celebrate Ganeshotsav with relatives, leaving the house unoccupied, as reported by Loksatta. Taking advantage of the situation, the accused broke into the bungalow via the terrace on Tuesday night.

The thieves stole jewellery worth Rs 33 lakh from the house and then set fire to the neighbouring grocery shop. The incident came to light when the fire broke out, prompting a response from the municipal fire brigade, which managed to bring the blaze under control.

Following the incident, a case was registered at Naigaon Police Station under Sections 305, 331(4), and 326(G) of the Indian Penal Code.

Police launched an immediate investigation, and within eight hours, arrested four accused: Ajay Yadav (20), Sonu Faizan Khan (20), Deepak Kharat (21), and Fatima Sheikh (25). The arrests were confirmed by Police Inspector (Crime) Abhijit Madke, who stated that further investigation is ongoing, as reported.

In separate news from Palghar, a 25-year-old pregnant woman gave birth to a baby girl in an 108 ambulance in the early hours of Monday, September 1, while being transferred from Saphale Primary Health Centre to Palghar Rural Hospital due to concerns over possible complications during delivery.

The woman, Vidhi Sambre, a resident of the Saphale area, was pregnant with her second child and had been admitted to Saphale Primary Health Centre late on the night of September 1. After assessing the risk of delivery-related complications, the attending medical officer decided to refer her to Palghar Rural Hospital for advanced medical care.

At around 2:50 a.m., an 108 ambulance was called to transport her. However, during the journey, Vidhi went into labour and successfully delivered a baby girl with the assistance of the ambulance medical team.

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Maharashtra

Thane: Two Minor Girls Missing From Sainik Chawl Area In Kalyan; Police Launch Probe

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Thane: Two minor girls, aged 15 and 16, from Sainik Chawl in Amardeep Vasahati, Kalyan West, have been missing for the past five days, raising serious concerns among their families. A complaint has been filed at Manpada Police Station, where it is suspected that the girls were abducted by an unknown individual.

According to the report, Ashabai Ganpat Kale, the mother of the 15-year-old girl, reported the disappearance and filed a formal complaint under Section 137(2) of the Indian Penal Code, 2023. The girls are residents of Sainik Chawl, and their families are engaged in the small trade of selling lemon and chilli.

The family originally hails from Pardhi Tanda, Pandadhari village in Jat taluka, Sangli district. The disappearance of both girls has caused deep distress within the family. Despite ongoing efforts, their whereabouts remain unknown.

The two girls have been missing since 12 noon on August 30. Initially, the family believed the girls might have gone out to see public Ganpati idols in Kalyan, as part of the Ganeshotsav celebrations. However, when they failed to return even after mealtime, the family grew concerned and began searching for them in the surrounding area, as per the report.

They contacted the girls’ school friends and checked with relatives, but the girls were not found. After an extensive but unsuccessful search throughout Kalyan, the family lodged a police complaint, suspecting they may have been lured and abducted.

Senior Police Inspector Sandipan Shinde has taken serious note of the matter and has formed special teams to trace the missing girls. Additionally, Assistant Police Inspector Rupali Karkade is conducting a parallel investigation to ensure a thorough probe into the incident. Police are actively investigating the case, and efforts are ongoing to locate the minors.

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Maharashtra

Use of DJs prohibited during Eid Milad processions, Joint Police Commissioner appeals to procession participants to abide by law in Khilafat Committee meeting

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On Eid Milad-un-Nabi, Mumbai Police has claimed strict security arrangements and urged the people involved in the procession to follow the law. Also, DJ has been completely banned in the Muhammadi procession. Therefore, the police have requested the people involved in the procession not to use DJ. Addressing a meeting held in connection with the Muhammadi procession at Khilafat House in Mumbai, Joint Commissioner of Police Satya Narayan Chaudhary has allowed the use of loudspeakers till 12 midnight while announcing the good news of Eid Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH). Along with this, Satya Narayan Chaudhary has requested Muslims that the use of DJ is prohibited during the Muhammadi procession, so the people involved in the procession should avoid using DJ. He said that the people involved in the procession should follow the law and do not violate traffic rules. It is important to keep this in mind. He said that banners and posters should not be put up before the procession on September 8 after Ganpati immersion unless the local police inspector allows it. He said that the immersion of Lalbagh Raja takes place till the morning of the 7th, after which the crowd goes to their homes. In such a situation, no banners or posters should be put on the roads until this process is completed. When all this process is completed, then banners and posters can be put on every area and road. This is allowed and no one will have any problem. To make Eid Milad-un-Nabi (ﷺ) peaceful, the people involved in the procession have been advised to follow the necessary instructions and guidelines. Khilafat Committee Executive President Sarfaraz Arzoo, MLA Amin Patel, Waris Pathan and police officers and public were present in this meeting.

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