ED has forfeited assets belong to late gangster Iqbal Mirchi

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SAFEMA has forfeited a composite unit of three buildings in Worli, Mumbai, belong to late gangster Iqbal Mirchi worth about ₹ 500 crore under the Foreign Exchange Manipulators (Forfeiture of Property) Act, 1976 and the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substance Act. It said the immovable assets named –Rabia Mansion, Mariam Lodge and Sea View– are located in the Worli area of Maharashtra’s capital city. Mirchi was allegedly the right-hand man of global terrorist Dawood Ibrahim in drug trafficking and extortion rackets.

The order for seizure of properties was issued by the competent authority for SAFEMA (Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators Act) and NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) on November 9 based on “evidence gathered” against Mirchi and his associates by the ED. The value of these properties is about ₹ 500 crore as ascertained by the ED during the course of the investigation under the PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act),” the central probe agency said in a statement. The properties were falsely claimed by a trust before these authorities on the pretext that Iqbal Mirchi had not made complete payment and consequently it did not hand over possession of these properties to Iqbal Mirchi. On the basis of this plea, these properties were earlier released from attachment under the NDPS Act in the year 2005,” said a senior agency official.

The ED filed a money laundering case against Mirchi, his family and others last year after Mumbai Police lodged multiple FIR’s against them. Mirchi died in London in 2013 and these properties have also been attached by the ED under the anti-money laundering law. A criminal case was also filed against Mirchi and those linked to him to probe money laundering charges linked to their alleged illegal dealings in the purchase and sale of costly real estate assets in Mumbai. The agency had alleged Mirchi “indirectly owned various properties in and around Mumbai”.