Supreme Court Bench Grants Six-Month Extension to Nawab Malik’s Bail, ED Offers No Objection.
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NEW DELHI: In a recent development, the Supreme Court of India has extended the interim medical bail of former Maharashtra minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Nawab Malik by an additional six months. This decision comes as a significant relief to Malik, who has been embroiled in a money-laundering case linked to fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and his aides.
The bench, comprising Justices Bela M Trivedi and Pankaj Mithal, passed the order following the non-objection from the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, representing the ED, stated,
“It may be extended. They have asked for six months. No objection.” The Court directed, “Temporary medical bail of petitioner extended by six months as prayed for. List the main matter after six months.”
Malik was initially arrested by the ED on February 23, 2022, and was granted interim bail for medical reasons in August of the same year. This bail was subsequently extended by three months in October 2023, as Malik continued to receive treatment for kidney disease and related ailments at a private hospital in Mumbai. The latest extension of his bail is strictly on medical grounds and does not pertain to the merits of the case.
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The money laundering allegations against Malik involve his purported dealings with Haseena Parkar, sister of Dawood Ibrahim, and two others, in usurping a property in Mumbai’s Kurla area between 1999 and 2006. The ED contends that the money Malik allegedly paid to Parkar, who managed the illegal business of the gangster, was ultimately used for terror funding. These charges fall under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
After a special court rejected Malik’s bail plea in November last year, he approached the Bombay High Court. However, the High Court refused to grant him temporary bail in July 2023, leading to the appeal in the Supreme Court. The High Court had expressed reservations about granting bail under the stringent Section 45 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, considering the gravity of the allegations.
As the case continues, the focus remains on Malik’s health condition and the subsequent legal proceedings. The Supreme Court’s decision to extend the interim bail highlights the consideration of health issues in judicial decisions, especially in cases involving high-profile political figures.
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