Some NCP ministers in Maharashtra met at the residence of party president Sharad Pawar here on Wednesday evening to discuss the situation arising out of the arrest of their cabinet and party colleague Nawab Malik by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering case.

Malik was produced before a special court here on Wednesday after the ED arrested him in a money laundering case probe linked to the activities of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim, his aides and the Mumbai underworld. A special court remanded Malik to the ED custody till March 3. The cabinet minister's statement was recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and he was arrested under the same provisions as he was evasive in his replies, ED officials said.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, ministers Chhagan Bhujbal, Hasan Mushrif and Rajesh Tope were present at Sharad Pawar's residence 'Silver Oak' in South Mumbai for the meeting, party sources said. The meeting was called to discuss the current situation that has arisen post Malik's arrest and the party's future course of action, the sources said.

They said Malik's portfolios could be shared with his party colleagues in the cabinet in case he resigns. Malik, a senior NCP leader, holds the skill development portfolio besides the minority affairs department in the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.

The NCP president is likely to meet chief minister Uddhav Thackeray at the latter's official residence 'Varsha' in south Mumbai later in the evening in the wake of the sudden development. Meanwhile, senior Congress leaders and MVA Ministers Balasaheb Thorat and Ashok Chavan called on Sharad Pawar and discussed the fallout of Malik's arrest.

Another Congress minister Sunil Kedar also joined the meeting. The NCP and the Congress are constituents of the Shiv Sena-led MVA government. Criticism continued to pour in from NCP leaders over Malik's arrest.

Maharashtra NCP president and minister Jayant Patil said the state never saw such political vendetta in the past and claimed efforts were being made to pull down the MVA government. Speaking during the party's on-going mass outreach programme in Solapur in western Maharashtra, Patil said Malik has been arrested "without any reason". People are seeing such politics right now, but they will express their opinion at the right time, Patil said.

Without naming anyone, the NCP leader alleged some people want to topple the MVA government anyhow Arrests are being made for no reason with the help of central agencies. This is not right, Patil added.

MVA allies also threw their weight behind Malik over ED's action against him, while the BJP sought his resignation. The NCP on Wednesday lashed out at the BJP over Malik's questioning and subsequent arrest by the ED in a money laundering case, saying this was another instance of "misuse of power" and a pressure tactic to silence his voice since he had exposed wrongdoings of some people.

Pawar said his party had anticipated such an action against its leader Malik as he "speaks openly".

The Shiv Sena and Congress, which share power with the NCP as part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra, also threw their weight behind 62-year-old Malik, saying they need to unitedly fight against the tactics to silence political opponents.

The BJP, however, said the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) action should not be called "vendetta politics" and if leaders of the ruling parties feel there is misuse of power, they can move court to seek justice. The opposition party also said that after his arrest, Malik has no right to remain as a cabinet minister and demanded his resignation.

Reacting to the ED's action, Pawar said, "Which case have they dug up? It is simple. They take the name of Dawood, especially if there is a Muslim activist (against whom a case is dug up). There is no relation (between the activist concerned and underworld), but it is done." Pawar recalled that he too was "targeted similarly" in the early 90s when he was the chief minister of Maharashtra and an atmosphere was created against him.

"Twenty-five years have passed since then. Similarly, names (of underworld) are being taken to defame people, trouble them and misuse the power people who take positions against the Centre or the misuse of probe agencies are being troubled and this is what has happened here," he said.

NCP workers protested near the party's headquarters, located close to the ED's office in south Mumbai. The workers shouted slogans slamming the BJP-led central government and the ED.

NCP's Lok Sabha member Supriya Sule said Maharashtra has never bowed down before the Centre and it never will. She said it was unfortunate that the Centre was using its machinery against the BJP's political rivals in a "suppressive" manner. Sule, who is the daughter of Pawar, claimed the ED's notice is issued only to Opposition leaders.

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said Malik's arrest was politics of vengeance. "The entire country is watching what's happening in Maharashtra, Jharkhand and West Bengal. This is a political as well as a legal battle," he told reporters.

"This (targeting of individuals by digging old cases) will continue till 2024 and after that they will have to face the consequences," Raut said in a veiled attack on the BJP and central agencies. Raut also said he spoke to all senior leaders of the MVA and claimed he will soon "expose" the central probe agencies.

Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole termed Malik's questioning by the ED as an act of "revenge" and said the need of the hour was to unitedly fight against the tactics to silence political opponents. He said the Congress stands firmly with Malik, who has been raising his voice against the BJP's "anti-people" policies and its "arrogance of power"

"Tomorrow will protest peacefully near Mahatma Gandhi memorial in front of Mantralaya (Maharashtra secretariat). All three parties are together and will be part of this movement," Thorat and Bhujbal were quoted by ndtv.com.

Didi speaks to Pawar

Mamata Banerjee with Sharad Pawar File Picture

Meanwhile, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee called up NCP chief Sharad Pawar following the arrest of Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik, acording to hindustantimes.com.

According to ndtv.com, they spoke for around 10 minutes. During the course of the conversation, Mamata exptressed her full solidarity. Quoting sources, ndtv.com added that Pawar asked Didi if she had sacked her ministers who were arrested in 2021 by the CBI in the Narada case. He also found out how the TMC supremo dealt with the situation.

With inputs from PTI