Supreme Court Refuses Interim Bail To Nawab Malik, Adjourns Plea To Await Decision By Bombay High Court

The Supreme Court today, while denying relief to NCP Leader Nawab Malik in the money laundering case, has adjourned his plea to the second week of July to await a decision by the Bombay High Court. Aggrieved by the Bombay High Court's order adjourning the hearing of his plea seeking bail, Malik had approached the Apex Court.

Malik was arrested in February, last year in a money laundering case associated with Gangster Dawood Ibrahim's property.

While deferring the hearing, the Bench of Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice M.M. Sundresh observed, "...In the meantime, we request the High Court to take up the bail application".

The Bench was also of the opinion that it cannot bypass, a matter pending before a High Court.

Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal appeared for Malik and sought bail citing health issues. Sibal said that because of ASG SV Raju's (appearing on behalf of NIA) absence before the Bombay High Court, the matter was not heard.

"Look at his condition", Sibal said while referring to Malik.

The Bench then deferred the hearing to the second week of July, to which Sibal asked, "Why not right after the vacations?". The Bench responded by saying that the first week would be miscellaneous and therefore the matter has been put in the second week.

Earlier, a special court in Mumbai had refused bail to the former Maharashtra Minister in a money laundering case linked to the activities of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and his aides. Special Judge R N Rokade had rejected Malik's bail plea.

The Enforcement Directorate arrested the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader in February this year. While in judicial custody he was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Mumbai.

The NCP leader had then sought bail pleading there is no predicate offence against him to prosecute him for money laundering.

The probe agency, however, opposed the bail stating the case registered by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) against Dawood Ibrahim and his henchmen is considered a predicate offence.

Cause Title: Mohammed Nawab Malik v. The State of Maharashtra