Mumbai: Court allows Nawab Malik to have home food; lawyer can be present during questioning

Nawab Malik. File Pic

A special court has allowed Maharashtra Minority Affairs Minister Nawab Malik's plea seeking home food and medicines while in the custody of the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The court also allowed his lawyer to be present within visible distance during interrogation.

Malik, a senior NCP leader, was arrested on Wednesday by the ED in an alleged money laundering case linked to the activities of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and his aides. After he was remanded in ED custody till March 3, Malik's lawyer had filed an application seeking home food and medicines for him. Special judge for the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) R N Rokade granted the plea.

The court also permitted Malik's prayer seeking the presence of a lawyer during interrogation by the Central agency. Advocate Bhumika Gada, his lawyer, is allowed to remain present "from a visible distance," but "beyond hearing", the court said. She shall not "make any consultation" with the accused during interrogation, the court said, adding the lawyer should not interfere in the probe in any way.

Malik was arrested under the PMLA on Wednesday after being questioned for about five hours. The ED case is based on an FIR lodged recently by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) against the fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and others. The NIA filed the criminal complaint under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.