Nawab Malik says forgery done before he bought Goawala Compound

Malik’s lawyer Amit Desai on Friday stated that the NCP leader was a genuine buyer and not involved in act of money laundering as claimed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Mumbai: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Nawab Malik on Friday questioned why Munira Plumber, the original owner of the Goawala Compound land, failed to take action for almost 23 years after she stopped receiving rent despite being the ‘owner’ of the compound. Arguing the bail plea, Malik’s lawyer Amit Desai on Friday stated that the NCP leader was a genuine buyer and not involved in act of money laundering as claimed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The 63-year-old NCP leader was arrested on February 23 in connection with a money-laundering case. (Hindustan Times)

Referring to Plumber’s alleged failure to take action, Desai said, “When rent stopped coming from tenants of the property why didn’t she take any action?” Desai further relied upon the statement by Plumber wherein she claimed that she had been cheated by Salim Patel, who allegedly forged her signature, and that she did not know that the property was sold until 2021.

“She (Plumber) said that the signature on the power of attorney looked like hers but she did not remember signing it. If she was not aware of the sale, why didn’t she take action when she stopped getting rent from the tenants,” Desai argued. He further said that the alleged power of attorney was prepared in July 1999 after Patel was given a right to sell the properties and the papers were forged way back in 1999 as claimed by Plumber.

Malik came into the picture only in 2005. “Patel showed the power of attorney and on the basis of the papers, the property deal came to be executed. Plumber herself said in her statement that she was cheated by Patel. Unfortunately, Patel is no more to confirm and state what actually happened in 1999,” submitted Desai.

The court’s attention was also drawn to the situation that prevailed in those days, where owners would hire slum lords and henchmen to get remove encroachments. “Sardar Khan, a convict known by then for his role in the 1993 blast case, was hired to collect rent and manage the property by her only,” said Desai, adding that it contradicted Plumber’s claim that she did not register any case out of fear.

Desai also chided ED for relying heavily on Khan’s statement, saying, “A statement of convict of a bomb blast is found more reliable to implicate a people’s representative.”

The 63-year-old NCP leader was arrested on February 23 in connection with a money-laundering case. It is alleged that the money earned through illegal means by his close aide was used for terror funding in active collaboration with terror organisations.

Further, the ED claimed that Malik conspired with Dawood’s sister Hasina Parkar (now deceased) to usurp the land using a fabricated power of attorney in September 2005. The agency has claimed that the proceeds of crime generated through rent and other income from the land is ₹15.99 crore.