Senior NCP Leader and Maharashtra Minorities Welfare Minister Nawab Malik has been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) after questioning early in the morning today.

The agency alleges that he is part of a money laundering operation involving the Mumbai criminal "underworld" and 193 serial blasts mastermind Dawood Ibrahim. Mr. Malik emerged from the ED office raising his fist, and saying "We will fight, we will win, we will expose everyone".

He was detained by the ED at 6 AM for questioning in relation to these charges. The media is reporting now that the Minister is under the custody of the agency. Visuals emerged which showed him raising his fist and smiling broadly while emerging. NCP workers attempted to hold demonstrations outside the ED office although they were promptly detained.