Court takes into account Malik’s hospital stay, extends ED custody till March 7
The Maharashtra Cabinet Minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik on Thursday were sent to further detention from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) until 7 March after the institution was submitted to court that he could not be interrogated effectively because he had to be hospitalized for medical problems.
Ed also told the court that the previous Remand application filed on February 23 had typo. It clarified that the guessions that Malik had paid Rs 55 lakh in cash to Haseena Parkar, Gangster Dawood Ibrahim’s sister, for the property concerned in Kurla, the figure was actually Rs 5 Lakh.
Special Judge R K Rokade said that because Malik was hospitalized between February 25 and February 28, his statement could not be recorded. Consider this and new facts that arise, ed can be given a further opportunity for the interrogation of the custod until Monday, the court said.
On Thursday, additional lawyers General Anil Singh told the court that Malik complained some urological problems and he was hospitalized for three days. Ed recorded his statement on three occasions between February 28 and March. He said that Ed wanted to ask about the modes and payment methods carried out for the purchase of Goawala Buildings and property documents. Ed previously claimed that Rs 55 lakh was paid to Salim Patel, the driver and alleged Associate Parkar for the property.
Malik’s lawyer Anil Desai filed that the NCP leader had lost “six days sitting in prison” with a claim that Rs 55 Lakh was paid for “terror funding”. He said, “How can this be justified? How can they now say it is a typo?”
Asg Singh said that Ed had “came fairly” before the court with clarification. “The court does not provide (ED) prisoners are only based on that number. It considers the overall investigation, how serious the violation is. Also, we say there is a RS 5 lakh transaction still. Even if Re 1 is given to terror funding, it is necessary to be investigated,” said Singh to the court.
Ed also claimed that the facts had emerged that Malik had “illegally occupied / seized other properties in Kurla, without any legitimate sales documents and by threatening land owners”.
