ED arrests Iqbal Mirchi’s aides

Mumbai: The ongoing Enforcement Directorate (ED) probe into money laundering activities by operatives of Mumbai underworld led to the arrest of two henchmen of Mohammad Iqbal Memon alias Iqbal Mirchi, close aide of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim, who died in London in 2013.

The officials arrested the duo from Mumbai in connection with an alleged multi-crore property deal, with the money siphoned off from India, officials said. The accused were identified as Ranjitsinh Bindra and Harun Aleem Yusuf, who were being questioned in connection with the land deal. The ED began investigation based on an FIR filed by the Mumbai police for property related forgery and cheating.

The probe revealed that the said properties, measuring total 1,537 spmt are located in Worli at Mariam Lodge, Rabia Mansion and Sea View buildings. The FIR stated that these properties were illegally usurped by Mirchi at lesser than market rates in a deal facilitated by Yusuf and Bindra.

While it is alleged that Yusuf introduced these properties, Bindra allegedly negotiated the deal for a commission of `30 crore. The deal was executed in late eighties by Bindra’s Sunblink Real Estate Pvt Ltd between Mirchi’s Rockside Enterprises and a trust, which owned these properties then.

The duo was grilled on multiple occasions and officials said that they were not divulging the details of the deal and hence were placed under arrest for non-cooperation. They have been booked as per the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and have been remanded to ED’s custody till October 15.

The ED was already investigating Mirchi’s business links into countries including United Kingdom (where he was based after fleeing India in the backdrop of 1993 Mumbai serial blasts), UAE, Morocco, Turkey and Spain among others. He was arrested twice in UK in 1995 and 2012 however could not be extradited to India.