Jailed Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik allowed private hospital treatment

Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik on Friday was allowed by a special court in Mumbai to get treatment at a private hospital. Jailed in a money laundering case, the 62-year-old leader had sought permission for treatment at a private hospital. His lawyer – earlier this month – told the court that was undergoing treatment at state-run JJ Hospital in a serious condition.

Kushal Mor, the senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader’s counsel, had earlier said that Malik’s condition deteriorated in Arthur Road prison as he urged the special court to allow the minister to be shifted to a private hospital.

Expressing concern that the prison authorities had not told the court about Malil’s condition, a report was then sought from the hospital. His family too was allowed to meet him at the hospital.

The Enforcement Directorate did not object to the request by the lawyer, according to news agency ANI.

The NCP leader was arrested in February over a money laundering case linked to 1993 Mumbai blasts mastermind Dawood Ibrahim.

Anti-terror agency NIA has also been carrying out raids in Mumbai linked to the underworld don.

The minister was produced in court on Friday at the end of his judicial custody last week, which was extended by 14 days.

In April, the Supreme Court had refused to intervene for his release. “It is too nascent a stage to interfere with the investigation. We can’t interfere with the due process at this stage. You (should) move the competent court,” the court had said at the time.

After the arrest of Malik, a BJP critic, the ruling Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress alliance in the state had alleged misuse of probe agencies by the centre against rivals.

(With inputs from ANI)