Devendra Fadnavis, Nawab Malik accuse each other of 'underworld links'
Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday fired salvo against state Minister Nawab Malik. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader addressed a press conference to present what he called a proof of Malik's alleged links with the underworld. This is the latest in a series of barbs exchanged between the two in recent days. Here are more details on this.
Why does it matter?
Malik has leveled various allegations against the Narcotics Control Bureau and its officer Sameer Wankhede since the arrest of Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan Khan. He and other Opposition leaders say the agency operates at the behest of the BJP, which rules the Centre. However, the BJP alleges Malik is trying to protect his son-in-law Sameer Khan, who was earlier arrested by the NCB.
'Why did you buy land from convicts?'
Fadnavis claimed that Malik's family had entered a property deal with an underworld person convicted in the 1993 Mumbai blasts. He said the 2.80 acre plot located on LBS Road was bought for Rs. 30 lakh. "My question is when this deal happened you were a Minister. Did you not know who Salim Patel is? Why did you buy land from convicts?" he asked.
Who is Salim Patel?
Salim Patel is a gangster and 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts mastermind Dawood Ibrahim's aide. He was the driver of Haseena Parkar, Ibrahim's sister. After Ibrahim escaped India, Parkar had acquired his properties through Patel.
How did Malik react?
Malik has refuted Fadnavis's allegations. In fact, he promised to drop a "hydrogen bomb" on Wednesday morning to expose the former CM's alleged connection with the underworld. "I think his sources are weak in their game. If he would have asked, I would have given him the original land documents myself," the Minister said soon after charges were leveled against him.
Malik's 'drug links' charge against Fadnavis
Earlier, Malik had alleged that Fadnavis appeared in a music video financed by a drug peddler who is currently in jail. "Fadnavis should come clean over his association with such people," he had said. The BJP leader, however, had termed the allegations as false. "Malik has mischievously dragged me and my wife's name with an individual to show drug links which are absolutely baseless."
