The probe by the Enforcement Directorate into terrorism-related cases has resulted in the identification of properties worth about ₹1,250 crore as proceeds of alleged crimes under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
While assets valued at ₹884 crore currently stand attached, the others worth ₹98 crore have been confiscated under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act (FEOA).
The ED has taken action with respect to more than 250 properties in different parts of the country and filed 37 prosecution complaints (charge sheets) against the accused persons.
A prominent case is the one against international drug trafficker Iqbal Mirchi, who died in the United Kingdom in 2013. He had close links with the syndicate headed by now Pakistan-based underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.
The agency has so far identified "proceeds of crime" to the tune of ₹1,000 crore in the case, involving 27 properties. They include a hotel in Dubai, some properties in the United Kingdom, four hotels in Delhi, 15 properties in Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra and a cluster of properties in Cyprus Valley. The ED has attached assets worth ₹799 crore, the others worth ₹97.99 crore have been confiscated by the special FEOA court.
On the agency's request, the Interpol has issued red notices against Mirchi's wife Hajra Memon and their sons, Junaid and Asif, who are currently in the United Kingdom. The three have also been declared fugitive economic offenders.
Another money laundering case is against fugitive Zakir Naik and associated entities, based on a first information report registered by the National Investigation Agency, accusing him of provocative utterances and promoting enmity between different religious groups in the country. The ED has so far identified "proceeds of crime" worth ₹193 crore and made attachments to the tune of ₹50.49 crore. Two prosecution complaints have also been filed.
In a case against Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed and others, the agency has attached assets worth ₹8.93 crore. The probe against Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin and some other members of the banned outfit has led to the identification of properties worth about ₹11.26 crore, including 13 located in Jammu and Kashmir, of which those worth ₹1.22 crore have been attached so far.
According to the agency, in the case against Kashmiri separatist leader Shabir Shah and others, properties worth ₹2.08 crore were identified. The attachment value stood at ₹88.76 lakh. In six other J&K terror funding cases, assets worth ₹1.87 crore were detected and that worth ₹.43.69 lakh attached.
A money laundering probe was also carried out against Pakistan-based Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation, which was linked to LeT. The agency has zeroed in on assets worth ₹4.79 crore, of which ₹73 lakh has been attached. "Properties have also been attached in the 2014 Burdwan blast case," said an official.
In the cases against the terror outfits operating in the northeastern States, including NSCN (IM) and NSCN (K), the attachment orders involve ₹12.42 crore; while assets valued ₹9.73 crore have been attached in the cases related to the funding of Naxal groups in Jharkhand, Bihar and Chhattisgarh. More properties owned or controlled by the alleged Naxal elements are under the ED radar.
