Mumbai, July 5: NCP leader and former Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik, who has been arrested in a money laundering case, filed a bail application before a special court here on Tuesday.

This is his first regular bail plea, filed on merits of the case, following his arrest in February, and the court has asked the Enforcement Directorate to file its reply to the plea by July 15. Nawab Malik Moves To Supreme Court Challenging Bombay High Court Order in Money Laundering Case.

Earlier, Special Judge RN Rokade had denied him interim bail, which was filed on medical grounds. The court had also refused to grant him one-day bail to cast his vote for the recently held Rajya Sabha polls in Maharashtra.

Malik, who is currently in judicial custody, was arrested on February 23 under provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) by the ED in connection with a probe linked to activities of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and his aides.

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