Conspiracy to frame me in Anil Deshmukh-style: Nawab Malik

Maharashtra Minorities Affairs Minister Nawab Malik on Saturday made a startling claim that a conspiracy is underway to frame him in an 'Anil Deshmukh-style fake case', allegedly at the "behest" of some officials in central agencies - but did not identify them.

Talking to media persons, Malik claimed that he has acquired some e-mails and WhatsApp chats of officers of Central probe agencies "instigating" people to lodge false complaints against him.

"I have all the evidence with full details of the conspirators... I am going to lodge a complaint with Mumbai Police Commissioner and also Union Home Minister Amit Shah for a thorough probe and necessary action," Malik asserted.

The Minister -- who has launched a crusade against Nartcotics Control Bureau Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede - said that he has acquired solid evidence that "a plot is being hatched to trap him in a false case like that of former home minister Anil Deshmukh, currently in judicial custody."

Malik added that for the past couple of months after he started his serial expose on Wankhede and the 'farzi' (fraudulent) rave party raid on the Cordelia Cruise on October 2, he and his family are being "shadowed" by some suspicious unknown persons.

"They are making enquiries about my family, my grandchildren, my own movements, clicking pictures of my home and offices... Last week, when I traveled abroad (Dubai), they had come again, but were given a hot chase by some people in my locality as they took unauthorised photos of my home," Malik said.

Some youngsters on motorcycles pursued the duo in the car and intercepted them near the Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, and questioned them.

"They claimed that they sped off in their car as they panicked and feared a beating from the youngsters... Subsequently, after we posted their photos on social media, people voluntarily came forward with details and information on the duo and their car, how one of them has been continuously stalking me and other things. Now, I shall lodge a police complaint against them," Malik said.

The senior Nationalist Congress Party national spokesperson reiterated that he would not be cowed down by any Central agency's officers "attempting to entrap him in a sham matter", and vowed to continue his ongoing campaign on various fronts.

Against the backdrop of his startling revelations in the past couple of months, the state government had recently enhanced the security cover for Malik.