The Nationalist Congress Party on Wednesday claimed Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik's questioning by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case was another instance of misuse of power and a pressure tactic to 'silence his voice' since he had exposed wrongdoings of some people in the recent past.
The Bharatiya Janata Party, however, said the ED should be allowed to complete its inquiry into the case instead of dubbing the action as 'vendetta politics'.
The ED on Wednesday questioned state Minority Affairs Minister and NCP's chief spokesperson Malik in a money laundering probe linked to the activities of the Mumbai underworld, fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and his aides, officials said.
The 62-year-old NCP leader is stated to have arrived at the ED's office in south Mumbai's Ballard Estate area around 8 am and the agency is recording his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they added.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar said that Malik is being troubled because he spoke against the Union government and 'misuse' of central probe agencies.
Speaking to reporters in the wake of Malik's questioning, Pawar said the NCP had anticipated such an action against party leader Malik since he 'speaks openly'.
To a question on whether the action against Malik was being taken as he speaks against the Centre or the BJP, Pawar said, "Which case have they dug up? It is simple. They take the name of Dawood, especially if there is a Muslim activist (against whom a case is dug up)…There is no relation (between the activist concerned and underworld), but it is done."
Pawar recalled that he too was 'targeted similarly' in the early 90s when he was the chief minister of Maharashtra and an atmosphere was created against him.
"Twenty-five years have passed since then. Similarly, names (of underworld) are being taken to defame people, trouble them and misuse the power…people who take positions against the Centre or the misuse of probe agencies are being troubled and this is what has happened here," the NCP president said.
Meanwhile, Malik's office in a tweet said, 'Today morning the ED had come to @nawabmalikncp saheb's residence. They accompanied saheb in his vehicle to the ED office. Advocate Amir Malik, Saheb's son has accompanied saheb along with.'
'Na darenge na jhukenge! (won't be afraid, won't bow down) Be ready for 2024!' the minister's office said in another tweet, with the hashtag 'we stand with Nawab Malik'.
NCP MP Supriya Sule said that Maharashtra has never bowed down before the Centre and it never will.
The NCP was not surprised by the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) action, the Lok Sabha member from Maharashtra said, adding it was unfortunate that the Centre was using its machinery against the BJP's political rivals in a 'suppressive' manner.
"It was expected, Nawab Bhai too had expected this. He had also tweeted in the past that he would keep tea and biscuits ready if the ED officials arrived at his home. Had they issued a notice (to Malik), they would have also got breakfast before leaving (Malik's residence). But they did not issue a notice," Sule told a TV channel.
Sule, who is the daughter of NCP chief Sharad Pawar, claimed the ED's notice is issued only to opposition leaders.
"Once you quit your own party and join them, then the notice disappears or goes into a shredder. We should know which shredder is this," she said sarcastically without taking any name.
Sule also claimed that 'people in a certain party' know in advance if a leader is going to be raided or arrested.
The Lok Sabha member said BJP leaders use Twitter very well to comment about the central agency's action.
"They are doing this now, but life is a full circle," she said.
"We are brought up in the culture of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Maharashtra has never bowed down before the Centre and Delhi, it never will," she added.
Meanwhile, NCP workers protested near the party's headquarters, located close to the ED office in south Mumbai, as the agency questioned Malik.
The workers shouted slogans slamming the BJP-led central government and ED.
They said they are with Malik, NCP's national spokesperson and the party's Mumbai unit chief.
The workers were seen heading towards the ED's office, but were stopped by police personnel near the party's office.
The NCP activists then did a sit-in protest.
"The protest is against the unjust questioning of Nawab Malik as he was exposing the BJP+NCB+CBI+ED nexus on a daily basis. We will not be cowed down. NCP will keep exposing BJP and all central agencies," party spokesperson Sanjay Tatkare said.
Another NCP spokesperson Clyde Crasto alleged that the action against Malik was nothing but 'pressure tactics' to silence his voice.
'He was exposing the wrongdoings of some people as a Chief Spokesperson of a political party. Voices of truth cannot be silenced,' Crasto tweeted.
Talking to reporters in Solapur, Maharashtra NCP president and state minister Jayant Patil said this was another instance of 'misuse of power'.
"The ED reached his (Malik's) residence at 6 am without issuing any notice. The ED had brought with it its own police. Some people may be deliberately trying to trouble him. The ED taking away a state minister for probe without any prior information is violation of everything," he claimed.
Patil said he was not aware in which connection Malik is being probed and that it seemed anger is being "deliberately" expressed at the minister.
However, senior BJP leader and former state finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar told reporters that it is too early to call the ED's inquiry as 'vendetta politics' when the details of the action are not yet out.
"What should we call the way Union minister Narayan Rane was arrested a few months back. BJP MLA Nitesh Rane is also being hounded by the state authorities. Malik is not a state-level leader of the NCP. If he has done something suspicious, then it should be probed. There should not be any rush to stamp it as vendetta politics," Mungantiwar said.
Maharashtra BJP vice president Chitra Wagh said a few months back, serious allegations were levelled by former state CM Devendra Fadnavis against Malik in connection with a suspicious land deal.
"It should be probed thoroughly and the ED officials should be allowed to complete their investigation," she said.
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut alleged that central probe agencies, like a 'mafia', were targeting BJP's political opponents who expose falsehood.
Talking to reporters in New Delhi, Raut said the ED officials took away Malik from his home for questioning.
"This is a challenge to the Maharashtra government. The central investigation agencies, like a mafia, are targeting BJP's political opponents who expose falsehood. But, truth will prevail and the fight will continue," the Shiv Sena's spokesperson said.
"This (targeting of individuals by digging old cases) will continue till 2024 and after that they will have to face the consequences," Raut said in a veiled attack on the BJP and central agencies.
Raut said a few years ago, former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya had filed a complaint against some leaders who have now joined the BJP.
"Why summons have not even been issued?" the Rajya Sabha member asked.
Notably, Somaiya had filed complaints against various leaders, including Narayan Rane who later joined the BJP and is currently a Union minister.
"I spoke to all senior leaders of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). I will soon expose the central investigating agencies," Raut said.
The Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress had joined hands in 2019 to form the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra led by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.
The ED's move against Malik comes after registration of a new case and raids conducted by it on February 15 in Mumbai in connection with the operations of the underworld, linked alleged illegal property deals and hawala transactions.
