Nawab Malik has links with underworld: Devendra Fadnavis' 'bomb'

Mumbai: Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday alleged that Nationalist Congress Party leader and Minister Nawab Malik has links with the underworld and he has been part of land deals with a convict in 1993 Mumbai serial blast case.

Addressing a press conference, the BJP leader said: "I had said I will expose somethings after Diwali. It took some time to get the papers and proofs. I am not narrating a Salim Javed script... And this is not a movie interval," Fadnavis said as he launched his tirade against the Minority Minister in the Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government.

Just ahead of Diwali, Fadnavis announced that he will 'explode a bomb' after the festival, and Thackeray had dared him to "go ahead with it".

Fadnavis on Tuesday linked Malik to the D-Company and said the minister has been in business with people involved in serial blasts that shook Mumbai in 1993.

Fadnavis alleged that Malik purchased 2.80 acre land from a Mumbai blast convict at rates cheaper than market prices. "Was this deal to save prime land from being forfeited under TADA law?" the BJP leader said.

He also said that he had documents of five such real estate deals and would hand them over to the appropriate authorities. Fadnavis said he would also submit the documents to NCP supremo Sharad Pawar to let him know what his party functionaries were indulging in.

"There is a direct connection with the underworld. I have documents of five property deals. Four properties purchased connected with the underworld. I will ascertain which is the appropriate authority, whether it is police, ED, NIA, and hand it over to them," Fadnavis said.

Addressing a press conference here, Fadnavis said: “The minister’s son, Faraz Malik, has bought 53 acres land called Goa Compound from 1993 bomb blasts accused Sardar Shahwali Khan and Salim Patel, a close associate of Dawood Ibrahim’s sister Hasina Parkar.”

He continued, “Located behind the LBS road area, the land was acquired at a very low price of Rs 415 per square foot and the land adjoining the road was taken for Rs 25 per square foot.”

“Why a minister’s family is doing business with criminals,” he added while raising eyebrows over the meagre rates at which the lands were purchased.

"I will hand over the documents to everyone, including the CBI, ED as well as Sharad Pawar. I will also seek an inquiry whether its a land grabbing case or not,” the former CM asserted.

When asked to clarify about the relationship between Maliks and underworld, Fadnavis said: “After reciting the entire Ramayana, you’re asking who was Sita.” Similarly, when questioned about his inaction against Maliks during his tenure, Fadnavis said: “Even before me, there were many CMs and Home Ministers. Why don’t you ask this question to them?” (UNI)