Devendra Fadnavis pressed for the sacking of Nawab Malik (File)
Reiterating its demand for the resignation of Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik, BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said "if this government doesn't sack him then it will be seen standing with the underworld fugitive Dawood Ibrahim?".
Currently, the NCP leader and state minister Nawab Malik is in judicial custody in connection with the Dawood Ibrahim money laundering case.
"One minister who is in jail is still sitting on the post of a Minister. This is not fair. We request the Speaker of the Assembly to remove him from the cabinet," said Mr Fadnavis, who is also the leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly.
Mr Fadnavis pressed for the sacking of Mr Malik in the ongoing Budget session of the Maharashtra Assembly amidst the BJP MLAs raising slogans against the state government. The House was adjourned for 30 minutes as the BJP MLAs continued protesting in the Assembly.
Mr Malik on Monday arrived at Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai after a Special PMLA court sentenced him to 14-day judicial custody till March 21 in connection with the Dawood Ibrahim money laundering case.
Earlier in February, the ED conducted raids at the residence of Dawood Ibrahim's sister Haseena Parkar in Mumbai in connection with the money laundering case.
Searches were carried out by the ED at several places linked to people associated with the underworld in Mumbai, informed sources said.
Meanwhile, BJP has demanded the resignation of Mr Malik but the Maha Vikas Agadhi (MV), comprising Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP, has rejected the demand.