Mumbai: In a major boost to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) probing the money laundering case against slain underworld gangster Iqbal Mirchi and his family members, a Special Court here on Friday declared his wife and two sons as "fugitive economic offenders" and also ordered the seizure of their properties in India and abroad.
A Special PMLA court here said that Mirchi's wife Hajra Memon, and his sons Asif Iqbal Memon and Junaid Iqbal Memon are hereby declared as Fugitive Economic Offenders as per Section 12 of the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018.
The court said that "their properties in India and abroad are directed to be seized by following due process of law".
A Special PMLA Court on December 16 last year had issued notices to two sons and the wife of Mirchi to appear before it on February 21 this year under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act (FEOA), 2018 and warned that they would be declared fugitive economic offenders if they failed to comply.
The official had said that the court issued summons to the wife and two sons of Mirchi on its plea filed with the court on December 4 last year.
He said that in its application to the court the financial probe agency has made a prayer to order confiscation of their assets as envisaged under FEOA.
He said that in the first phase, a prayer has been made for confiscation of 15 Indian properties including the third and fourth floor of Ceejay House having a market value of Rs 96 crore and six bank accounts having a balance of Rs 1.9 crore.
On the basis of the charge sheet filed by the ED before the Special PMLA Court, open ended non bailable warrants have been issued against them.
The ED till date has attached properties to the tune of Rs 798 crore in India and abroad under the PMLA provisions.
The ED in September last year attached properties worth Rs 200 crore in the UAE belonging to Mirchi in a money laundering case.
According to ED officials, the agency had attached around 15 properties of Mirchi and his family members, including in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, valued at over Rs 200 crore, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The ED had said that the attached properties in Dubai include Midwest Hotel Apartment and 14 other commercial and residential properties with a total value of Rs 203.27 crore.
The case pertains to Mirchi's Mumbai properties, which have been marked as "proceeds of crime".
According to officials, the ED had already identified Mirchi's 30 properties in London, Dubai and Mumbai valued at Rs 1,000 crore.
A criminal case was filed against Mirchi, his family members and others for alleged illegal dealings in the purchase and sale of Ceejay House, Sahil Bungalow, Rabia Mansion, Marium Lodge, and Sea View properties in prime locations in Mumbai.
Ceejay House is located at Worli and Arun Chambers in Tardeo area of Mumbai, worth Rs 76 crore. Other properties are worth Rs 500 crore, including Sahil Bungalow, Rabia Mansion, Marium Lodge, and Sea View in Worli, three commercial shops in Crawford Market, and five acres of land in Lonawala.
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