NCP leader alleges of workers being detained ahead of Pawar's appearance at ED office

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Nawal Malik on Friday claimed that police have been detaining party leaders since last night in view of the workers' announcement to accompany their leader Sharad Pawar to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office in a money laundering case on Friday.

"The police have been detaining NCP workers from yesterday night itself. I think this sort of action against the party workers is not right," Malik told ANI here.

He also stated that NCP workers will accompany Pawar for his appearance before the agency despite his appeal not to assemble out the ED office.

"We are still adamant on our announcement that we will definitely head towards ED office at 2 pm and we will do it. We don't want any sort of violence," he said.

The NCP leader alleged that the ED was working on directions of the ruling BJP who wants to frame Pawar in false cases ahead of the state elections.

"BJP is using ED for dealing with political competition. People are very agitated and the government is worried about it," he said.

On Thursday, the police imposed prohibitory orders in Mumbai's Ballard Estate area in view of Pawar's visit to ED office in the money laundering case.

NCP workers had earlier staged protests after Sharad Pawar along with party leader Ajit Pawar and others were named in an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) in Rs 5,000 crore Maharashtra State Co-operative Bank (MSCB) scam case.

Pawar had earlier stated in a tweet that he would appear before the ED on Friday. He also appealed to the party leaders and supporters not to gather outside the agency's premises.

"Keeping our tradition to honour the constitution and respect for institutions, I request your co-operation to the police and other government agencies," he stated.