D-company case: ED searches Goawala compound in Kurla

The cabinet minister has himself claimed before the special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court that he purchased the property in a genuine transaction, backed by proper documents

Mumbai While probing the money laundering case against gangster Dawood Ibrahim, Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials on Tuesday conducted searches at Goawala compound in Kurla to ascertain the number of genuine and purportedly bogus tenants introduced on the property, which was allegedly usurped by Maharashtra minorities development minister Nawab Malik.

The 62-year-old NCP minister was arrested by the ED on February 23 and is currently in judicial custody. (Bhushan Kooyande)

The 62-year-old NCP minister was arrested by the ED on February 23 and is currently in judicial custody.

Meanwhile, Malik’s family members have rubbished the allegations. The cabinet minister has himself claimed before the special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court that he purchased the property in a genuine transaction, backed by proper documents.

Malik was arrested after the ED raided several premises of people linked to Ibrahim, including his late sister Haseena Parkar, with whom Malik allegedly had transactions related to the Kurla property.

ED claimed that Malik had usurped the property at Kurla- Goawala Compound, admeasuring about three acres and valued at about ₹300 crore, by reportedly paying ₹5 lakh to Parkar (who did not have any claim to the property), thus indirectly funding her gangster brother’s activities.

Malik had previously claimed that his family company had purchased the plot of land — Goawala compound in Kurla — which was owned by one Munira Plumber, who had given the power of attorney to Mohd Salim Ishaq Patel (who was a frontman of Dawood’s sister Haseena Parkar). Malik denied having any knowledge of Patel’s antecedents.

He had clarified that a certain portion of the compound (300m) was in the name of Sardar Shah Wali Khan, whose father was a watchman in the compound. Malik said they paid Khan to surrender his right to that plot.

The ED had also summoned Mailk’s son Faraz for questioning but he skipped the summons.