Money laundering case: Nawab Malik innocent purchaser of Kurla property, special court told

The ED had begun its probe based on the complaint filed by Munira Plumber, the owner of the property.

Representing Malik, senior lawyer Amit Desai said that Plumber had filed a complaint about her property being allegedly usurped in 2021 – 23 years after it was bought by Malik legally.

He raised doubts over Plumber’s testimony, stating that she had not been able to explain why she had suddenly raised the issue of ownership after over two decades, claiming that she got to know last year that the property had been sold to Malik.

“She would not have received rent for these 23 years. Would she not have filed multiple cases claiming ownership the moment she stopped receiving rent from the tenants?” Desai argued.

He also said that Plumber had claimed that fraud was committed by Salim Patel, alleged to be an associate of Haseena Parkar, the sister of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim. Plumber had alleged that Patel forged a power of attorney to claim ownership of the property eventually sold to Malik.

“She herself says that Patel committed fraud. She is not saying that Malik committed the fraud. An innocent purchaser acquires property with due diligence. How is this person supposed to be connected to the fraud?” Desai said.