Maharashtra cabinet minister Nawab Malik, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate last month, appealed to the Bombay High Court on Wednesday to pass an interim order providing for his release from custody.

"The police authorities, on fanciful grounds, cannot disgrace any disliked face under the cloud of his or her involvement in an offence of organised crime. This is my submission," Malik's counsel Amit Desai said in the court.