MVA allies back Malik over ED's action against him

Mumbai: The NCP on Wednesday lashed out at the BJP over Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik's questioning and subsequent arrest by the ED in a money laundering case, saying this was another instance of "misuse of power" and a pressure tactic to silence his voice since he had exposed wrongdoings of some people. NCP chief Sharad Pawar said his party had anticipated such an action against its leader Malik as he "speaks openly".

The Shiv Sena and Congress, which share power with the NCP as part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra, also threw their weight behind 62-year-old Malik, saying they need to unitedly fight against the tactics to silence political opponents.

The BJP, however, said the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) action should not be called "vendetta politics" and if leaders of the ruling parties feel there is misuse of power, they can move court to seek justice. The opposition party also said that after his arrest, Malik has no right to remain as a cabinet minister and demanded his resignation.

The ED on Wednesday arrested Malik, state Minority Affairs Minister and NCP's chief spokesperson, in a money-laundering probe linked to the activities of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and his aides, officials said. Malik's office in a Twitter post said the ED officials came to his residence here in the morning and accompanied him in his vehicle to the probe agency's office, and asserted that he "won't be afraid and won't bow down". Before the arrest, the ED questioned Malik for hours, officials said.

Reacting to the ED's action, Pawar said, "Which case have they dug up? It is simple. They take the name of Dawood, especially if there is a Muslim activist (against whom a case is dug up)…There is no relation (between the activist concerned and underworld), but it is done."

Pawar recalled that he too was "targeted similarly" in the early 90s when he was the chief minister of Maharashtra and an atmosphere was created against him. "Twenty-five years have passed since then. Similarly, names (of underworld) are being taken to defame people, trouble them and misuse the power…people who take positions against the Centre or the misuse of probe agencies are being troubled and this is what has happened here," he said.

NCP spokesperson Clyde Crasto alleged that the action against Malik was nothing but “pressure tactics” to silence his voice. "He was exposing the wrongdoings of some people as a Chief Spokesperson of a political party. Voices of truth cannot be silenced," Crasto tweeted. — PTI