Mumbai: Maharashtra government minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik on Wednesday categorically refuted the charges levelled against him by former chief minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis and accused him of trying to protect NCB official Sameer Wankhede who is under the spotlight in the Aryan Khand drugs case.
Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, Malik accused Fadnavis of "criminalisation of politics" and said that after demonetisation, the DRI raided several places at BKC and seized Rs 14.56 crore fake notes but the Leader of Opposition and the then CM buried the case.
"It is due to the friendship between Sameer Wankhede and Devendra Fadnavis that criminal activities flourished in Mumbai and Maharashtra during the BJP government's tenure," the senior NCP leader alleged. Malik sought to know how an IRS officer Sameer Wankhede has been posted in Mumbai for the last 14 years.
He stated that he is fighting against a man who is framing innocent people in fake cases. "Devendra Fadnavis is not only diverting my issue but also trying to defend one officer (Sameer Wankhede),'' the NCP leader said.
I'm fighting against a man who is framing innocent people in fake cases. Devendra Fadnavis is not only diverting my issue but also trying to defend one officer (Sameer Wankhede): Maharastra Minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik pic.twitter.com/SJYLySaiAZ
— ANI (@ANI) November 10, 2021
Malik also alleged that a member of Dawood Ibrahim's gang Riyaz Bhati was caught with double passports at an airport but no action was taken against him. He further said Bhati has been seen in photos with Devendra Fadnavis and he even attended an event where PM Modi was also present. "How did he get access?" Malik asked.
One Riyaz Bhati, a close aide of Dawood Ibrahim, was arrested at Mumbai airport with a fake passport. He was allowed bail in 2 days only. Why was Riyaz Bhati in close contact with you (Devendra Fadnavis)?. Bhati has been seen with many big leaders in pictures: Nawab Malik, NCP pic.twitter.com/eZP9b2RJda
— ANI (@ANI) November 10, 2021
Making more allegations, Malik said, "Nagpur's notorious criminal Munna Yadav was appointed chairman of Construction Workers' Board by Devendra Fadnavis during his govt. One Haidar Azam, involved in illegal immigration of Bangladeshis, was appointed chairman of Maulana Azad Finance Corporation by Fadnavis.''
Refuting Fadnavis’ charge that he bought land parcels from the people linked with the underworld, Malik said that he has proof of link between Fadnavis and the underworld.
On Tuesday, Malik had said he will drop a ‘hydrogen bomb’ and expose the "underworld links" of the BJP leader. Malik said he did not buy any property from anyone who is linked to the underworld or is a convict in a bomb blast case. He said by trying to link him with the underworld and bomb blast convicts, Fadnavis is maligning his image.
Fadnavis had on Tuesday alleged that a company of Nawab Malik and his family members had purchased land in suburban Kurla at a very cheap rate through fictitious documents from two convicts of the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case.
He also alleged that Malik and his family members had entered into land deals with people associated with the underworld.
Malik said his daughter will send a legal notice to Fadnavis on Wednesday for his comments against his son-in-law Sameer Khan, who was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) earlier this year and later released on bail.
Just after Fadnavis finished his press conference, Malik tweeted, “I am coming”, in an apparent message that he will hit back. “The charges levelled by Devendra Fadnavis are baseless. I never bought any property from anyone linked to the underworld or a blast convict,?” Malik told a press conference.
Fadnavis had said Malik and his family members were part of a company that purchased land in the Kurla area of Mumbai at a very low rate by making some fictitious documents from Sardar Shahwali Khan and Saleem Ishaq Patel, who were convicted in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case.
Malik said he has been in public life for over 26 years and no one has levelled charges, linking him to the underworld and blast convicts.
He said the properties bought by him have been acquired legally after paying stamp duty.
“All deals have been done in a very transparent manner,” Malik claimed.
