A Mumbai court on Monday sent Maharashtra minister and Nationalist Congress Party leader Nawab Malik to judicial custody till March 21 in a money-laundering case registered against him by the Enforcement Directorate, Bar and Bench reported.

Special Judge RN Rokade passed the order.

Malik was arrested on February 23 in connection with the money laundering case involving fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and his aides.

The Enforcement Directorate’s inquiry is based on a case filed by the National Investigation Agency in February against Ibrahim and his aides under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The law enforcement agency has alleged that Malik was “actively involved” in funding terrorist activities.

On March 1, Malik had approached the Bombay High Court saying his arrest was a “brazen and completely illegal action” by the Enforcement Directorate. Malik said that his political rivals targeted him after being “deeply embarrassed” by his exposes”.

Malik also claimed that action was taken against him since he has been a “vocal critic of misuse of central agencies” since 2020.

The minister’s petition against the Enforcement Directorate will be heard by the High Court at 4 pm, Bar and Bench reported.

In recent months, Malik had made several allegations about Bharatiya Janata Party leaders and former Narcotics Control Bureau Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede in connection to the Mumbai cruise ship drugs case, involving actor Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan.

Malik had also accused Wankhede of being part of an extortion racket linked to drug cases against Bollywood actors.