Bombay HC refuses immediate relief to Nawab Malik to cast vote in RS elections

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Friday refused to hear the amended petition filed by Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik seeking permission to cast his vote in the Rajya Sabha elections.

Earlier in the day, the bench of Justice Bharati Dangare denied immediate relief to jailed Malik.

The court said that this petition is wrong and asked him to approach with an amended application before an appropriate bench.

NCP leaders Malik and Deshmukh approached the Bombay High Court for temporary release to cast their vote, yesterday after the Special PMLA court dismissed their applications.

Former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Thursday moved the Bombay High Court against the order of a special PMLA court rejecting his plea for a day's bail to cast his vote for the Rajya Sabha elections to be held on Friday, said Deshmukh's lawyer Aniket Nikam.

A special PMLA court in Mumbai rejected the pleas filed by Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik and former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh seeking a day's bail to vote in the Rajya Sabha elections.

The lawyer of Deshmukh had requested a certified copy of the order as soon as possible so as to enable them to approach the High Court today.

Deshmukh and Malik are currently lodged in jail in connection with different money laundering cases being probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Deshmukh was arrested on November 1, 2021, in connection with extortion and money laundering allegations levelled against him by the former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh.

ED had arrested Minorities Development Minister Malik on February 23 over a property deal allegedly linked to the aides of gangster Dawood Ibrahim.

In the Rajya Sabha polls for six seats from Maharashtra, every vote is crucial for the Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), of which the NCP is a constituent.

After more than two decades, the state will witness a contest in the Rajya Sabha polls as there are seven candidates in the fray for the six seats.

The ruling Shiv Sena has fielded two candidates, its MVA allies NCP and Congress have nominated one candidate each, while the opposition BJP has put up three candidates. (ANI)