COURT DENIES BAIL TO EX-MAHA MINISTER NAWAB MALIK IN ED CASE

MUMBAI: A special court here on Wednesday refused bail to former Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik in an alleged money laundering case linked to a land deal in which fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and his aides were involved.

R N Rokade, special judge for cases under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), had reserved his order on the bail plea on November 14 after hearing lengthy arguments. While the detailed order was not yet available, the judge while pronouncing the order said the two conditions laid down under section 45 of the PMLA were not satisfied.

Section 45 says that a court can grant bail in PMLA cases if there are reasonable grounds to believe that the accused is not prima facie guilty of the offence, and he or she shall not commit any offence if released.