ED moves court to declare family members of drug trafficker Mirchi wanted

The agency also sought confiscation of 15 properties worth about ₹96 crore and ₹1.9 crore in bank balance

December 04, 2020 05:49 pm | Updated December 05, 2020 03:59 am IST - New Delhi

A twitter image of Enforcement Directorate.

A twitter image of Enforcement Directorate.

The Enforcement Directorate on Friday moved an application in a Special Court to declare the family members of international drug trafficker Iqbal Mirchi wanted under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act. He died in the United Kingdom in 2013.

The agency also sought confiscation of 15 properties worth about ₹96 crore and ₹1.9 crore in bank balance under the Act.

The application has been moved against Iqbal Mirchi’s wife Hajra Memon and their sons, Junaid and Asif. In the money laundering case against them, the agency has so far attached assets worth ₹798 crore in India and abroad.

Based on the chargesheet filed by the ED, the court has issued open ended non-bailable warrants against the three accused persons, who are said to be in the United Kingdom.

Properties forfeited

Last month, based on the agency’s findings, the competent authority had forfeited three Mumbai properties worth about ₹500 crore through a directive under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. “As per the order, all the transfers/transactions in respect of these properties have been declared null and void,” the ED had said.

The agency found that Iqbal Mirchi, in conspiracy with Sir Mohamed Yusuf Trust, had furnished false information about the ownership of the buildings before the competent authority and the courts concerned in 2004-05.

The Trust had claimed their ownership stating that Iqbal Mirchi did not pay the full amount and therefore, the possession was not handed over to him, following which the properties were released from attachment in 2005.

However, on November 6, 2019, the ED informed the competent authority about its findings, establishing that the assets belonged to Iqbal Mirchi.

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