BJP's Devendra Fadnavis' 'Dawood link' attack on Nawab Malik arrest in Maharashtra

Malik was arrested on Wednesday after he was questioned in a money laundering case linked to activities of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and his aides.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday led his party's attack in Maharashtra over the arrest of state minority minister and senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Nawab Malik in a money laundering probe linked to 1993 Mumbai blasts accused Dawood Ibrahim.

Former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.  (ANI file photo)

"This is a very serious issue. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the ED in their recent operations found a link about Dawood Ibrahim's terror funding in India through real estate dealings and such deal are being done via money laundering. The Enforcement Directorate has told the court that it conducted searches at nine places, in which many links have come to light which establish a link towards Malik," the former Maharashtra chief minister was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

Malik was arrested on Wednesday after he was questioned in a money laundering case linked to activities of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and his aides. The senior NCP leader, who is known for his criticism of the centre and the ruling BJP, has been sent to eight-day custody till March 3.

Soon after the arrest that has started a political row in the state, Fadnavis said that the land purchased by the senior NCP leader was of 1993 bomb blasts accused Sardar Shahwali Khan and Sardar Patel, an aide of Dawood's sister Haseena Parker.

Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has also slammed the BJP.

The state government has said that its minister's arrest is "a misuse of central agencies".

The BJP has demanded Malik's resignation and accused the Shiv Sena and the NCP (allies in the MVA government) of pressurising central agencies that are investigating the matter.

On Wednesday, Devendra Fadnavis also said that the Maharashtra government was planning a conspiracy to create false witnesses to frame politicians.

"In a few days, I will be revealing how the Maharashtra government is planning a conspiracy to create false witnesses to frame leaders," Fadnavis said when he was asked about Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav's allegation that the BJP creates false witnesses and levels false allegations.

The Maharashtra government has called the arrest "vendetta politics" by the centre, underling that Malik won't be sacked.

(With inputs from PTI)