The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted bail to NCP leader Nawab Malik on medical grounds in a money laundering case.
A bench of justices Bela M Trivedi and Satish Chandra Sharma took note of the submissions of a counsel, appearing for the former Maharashtra minister, that he was suffering from various ailments.
The top court said medical bail to Malik will be valid till disposal of the regular bail plea pending before the Bombay High Court.
Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, appearing for the ED, did not oppose grant of bail, and said the interim medical bail may be made permanent.
The interim bail, which was granted to Malik in August 2023, has been extended from time to time.
Malik had moved the top court against the Bombay High Court's July 13, 2023, order denying him bail on medical grounds in the case being probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
The top court had earlier noted that Malik is suffering from kidney ailment and his condition has not improved since August 11, 2023 when he was granted interim bail for two months.
The ED had arrested Malik in February 2022 in the case allegedly linked to the activities of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and his associates.
Malik had sought relief from the high court, claiming he was suffering from a chronic kidney disease apart from various other ailments. He also sought bail on merit.
The ED's case against Malik is based on an FIR filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) against Ibrahim, a designated global terrorist and a key accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts, and his associates under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
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