Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik arrested by ED; "won't be scared, will fight and win", says Malik

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Maharashtra Minority Affairs Minister Nawab Malik on Wednesday in a money-laundering probe linked to the activities of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and his aides, officials said.

The 62-year-old NCP leader was taken into custody after he was questioned for about five hours at the ED office in south Mumbai's Ballard Estate area since around 8 AM.

"Have been arrested, but won't be scared. We will fight and win," said NCP leader Nawab Malik after being arrested by ED in connection with Dawood Ibrahim money laundering case.

His statement was recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and he was arrested under the same provisions as he was evasive in his replies, the officials said.

His party said he was taken by the ED from his residence at around 6 AM.

The ED had deployed CISF security and Mumbai Police security as a large number of Nationalist Congress Party workers had staged a huge protest outside the agency's office since morning to protest the action against Malik.

Top NCP leaders slammed the ED for the arrest and accused it of pursuing the Bharatiya Janata Party's agenda of vendetta and silencing political opponents.

With agencies inputs