MUMBAI: NCP minister and spokesperson Nawab Malik had been in the spotlight since October last year when he criticised the Narcotics Control Bureau’s raid on a cruise ship and was himself accused by former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis of having underworld connections.
One of the strongest and most vocal critics of the BJP, particularly PM Narendra Modi and leader of opposition Fadnavis, Malik (62) hit the national headlines after he alleged that the NCB’s October 4 raid was fake. Actor Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan was arrested in the wake of the raid and later released on bail. “I will fight and win, I will not bow down,” Malik, who is a five-term legislator, said after his arrest on Wednesday. Malik had mounted an attack on then NCB zonal director Sameer Wankhede in relation to that case, questioned his caste credentials and had contended after the NCB raid that all the witnesses in the case were fake. It was subsequently revealed that the main witness had criminal cases registered against him. After that, Malik targeted Wankhede in connection with the latter’s bar licence. In the wake of the allegations, it was found that though Wankhede was a minor and was not eligible for the bar licence in 1997, it had been granted to him at that time. Amid the series of allegations, Malik was accused by the opposition of targeting Wankhede because he had arrested Malik’s son-in-law Sameer Shaikh under the NDPS Act. Shaikh was in jail and was later released on bail. While that controversy was raging, Malik had released a few photographs of an alleged drug peddler with Fadnavis and his wife Amruta. Fadnavis had then said that the person seen in the picture was associated with a musical event. A day later, Fadnavis alleged Malik had had land transactions with a person involved in the 1993 bomb blasts. Fadnavis had alleged that Malik purchased land from the accused at nominal rates. Fadnavis subsequently submitted all the documents to ED, following which the ED swung into action. On December 21, Malik had said BJP’s Kirit Somiaya was saying ED would raid his house in connection with fraudulent land transactions. “Stop defaming the MVA government, stop the whispering campaign. ED should issue a press release. Let me know, I will myself be present in ED’s office,” Malik had said. Malik was apparently expected to make a statement on the role of a builder named last week by Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut but later left for Uttar Pradesh to campaign for the assembly elections.