India, March 9 -- A special PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) court rejected the discharge plea of Aamit Gazdar, an alleged close confidante of Dr Zakir Naik, arrested for actively assisting the controversial Islamic preacher and televangelist in laundering proceeds of crime.

Gazdar, who is currently out on bail, was arrested by the ED in February 2017 after registering a money laundering case against him, based on a case registered by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Special judge AC Daga, in an order passed on March 5, observed that Gazdar was apparently involved in handling and layering the proceeds of crime generated by Naik from his unlawful activities.

Gazdar's advocate had argued that there was nothing to show th...