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Malik, who was present in court, pleaded not guilty to the charges, a stance that now paves the way for the full trial to commence
The ED alleges that Malik (above) conspired with D-Company members, including Dawood’s late sister Haseena Parkar, Salim Patel, and Sardar Khan (a 1993 Mumbai blast convict), to participate in the laundering of illegally usurped property. File pic/PTI
A special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Mumbai has formally framed charges against former Maharashtra minister and senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Nawab Malik in a high-profile money laundering case.
The case directly links him to the illicit activities of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar and his network, often referred to as the D-Company. This crucial development occurred after Malik, who was present in court, pleaded not guilty to the charges, a stance that now paves the way for the full trial to commence.
Core Allegations and Charges
The Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) case against Malik is rooted in an FIR filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in February 2022 against Dawood Ibrahim, a designated global terrorist and key accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, and his associates under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The ED alleges that Malik conspired with D-Company members, including Dawood’s late sister Haseena Parkar, Salim Patel, and Sardar Khan (a 1993 Mumbai blast convict), to participate in the laundering of illegally usurped property.
The central focus of the case is the unauthorised acquisition of the Goawala Compound in Kurla, Mumbai, a property initially belonging to one Munira S Plumber. The ED contends that Malik illegally occupied parts of the property as early as 1996 and later, with Parkar’s help, usurped the entire 3-acre premises. The agency alleges the use of forged documents, including a fraudulent power of attorney dated July 23, 1999, to illegally register the property in the name of Solidus Investments Pvt Ltd, a company owned by Malik’s family. The court specifically noted that rent collected through Solidus Investments and Malik Infrastructure, both family entities, constitutes “proceeds of crime” under Section 2(1)(u) of the PMLA, pegging the total proceeds at Rs 16 crore.
Court Ruling and Next Steps
Special Judge Satyanarayan R Navander, who handles cases involving MPs and MLAs, had previously rejected a discharge application filed by Malik Infrastructure, observing that there was “sufficient material on record” to frame charges. The court ordered the framing of charges under Section 3 (offence of money laundering) read with Section 70 (liability of companies), punishable under Section 4 of the PMLA. The maximum sentence for this offence is seven years of imprisonment.
With Malik pleading not guilty, the legal process now moves into the trial phase, where the prosecution (ED) will present its evidence and the defence will cross-examine witnesses. Malik, who was arrested in February 2022, is currently out on medical bail granted by the Supreme Court, but his decision to plead not guilty ensures a full judicial review of the serious allegations connecting him to the financial network of one of India’s most wanted criminals.
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d…Read More
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d… Read More
November 18, 2025, 16:50 IST
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