Mumbai: Non-bailable warrant against Nawab Malik cancelled by court in defamation case filed by BJP worker

Nawab Mallik (Photo/Atul Kamble)

On Tuesday, a magistrate court in Mumbai cancelled a non-bailable warrant (NBW) issued against NCP leader Nawab Malik in a defamation complaint filed against him by BJP worker Mohit Bharatiya in 2021.

The court has adjourned the matter to October 25 for the recording of evidence. Additional Metropolitan Magistrate S B Kale (Mazgaon court) in August had issued the non against Malik for failing to appear before the court.

The non-bailable warrant was cancelled after the NCP leader and former state minister marked his presence before the court on Tuesday.

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Mohit Bharatiya, a BJP worker filed a complaint against Nawab Malik for allegedly making "baseless comments" in connection with the Narcotics Control Bureau's (NCB) cruise drug seizure case, In October 2021. The case involved Aryan Khan, son of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan.

Aryan Khan was arrested in the cruise drug case by NCB.

Manoj Bharatiya had sought registration of offence against Malik under Indian Penal Code sections 499 (defamation) and 500 (punishment for defamation). In his complaint Bharatiya alleged that Malik, in a press conference on the NCB's action, had "purposefully and intentionally defamed" him and his brother-in-law Rishab Sachdev.

Bharatiya further alleged that Malik grossly misused his dominant position to defame him and his family with speculative statements without any evidence to substantiate his malicious claims, reported PTI.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Nawab Malik in February 2022, in a case allegedly linked to the activities of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and his associates. Nawab Malik is currently out on interim bail granted to him in August this year, on medical grounds by the Supreme Court.

(with inputs from PTI)