2 held for brokering Rs 200cr realty deal for Iqbal Mirchi
A property broker with suspected underworld links and a former chairman of a reputable trust were arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for their alleged role in brokering a deal for three properties at Worli on behalf of the late fugitive narco-smuggler Mohammad Memon alias Iqbal Mirchi for over Rs 200 crore on Friday.
The belated action against the business interests and associates of the late underworld top gun is being viewed as part of the global crackdown initiated by the government against the global financial interests of fugitive underworld kingpin Dawood Ibrahim for whom Mirchi ran the global narcotics smuggling and betting syndicates. ED sources said that Ranjit Singh Bindra, the property broker and Haroun Yusuf, a former chairman with the Sir Mohd Yusuf Trust, who have been booked under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act were remanded to the ED custody till October 15 by a special court.
The present anti money-laundering probe was initiated by the ED in August this year is based on a set of 8 cases registered against Mirchi during 1984-99 by the Mumbai police. It is suspected that a major part of Mirchi’s properties acquired in Mumbai, adjoining areas and other parts of the world were generated from his extortion and smuggling activities. Mirchi had fled from Mumbai in 1993 and died in London in 2013.
Sources said that three properties in Worli — Sea View, Marium Lodge and Rabia Mansion — which belonged to Sir Mohd Yusuf Trust had been purchased by Mirchi in 1986 through his company M/S Rockside Enterprises for Rs 6.5 lakh. The properties have a total carpet area of 1537 sq mt. “Therefore, the said three properties proceeds of crime under the PMLA,” the ED said. The tenents in these buildings later vacated on the grounds of their dilapitated condition.
During searches conducted by the agency, it was found that after Mirchi was declared a proclaimed offender and his properties attached under SAFEMA, though the ownership of the properties could not be transferred to Mirchi on paper, he remained indirectly in control of the properties.