ED files chargesheet against gangster Iqbal Mirchi in money-laundering case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a chargesheet before a special court in connection with the money-laundering case against gangster Iqbal Mirchi.

ED submitted the chargesheet before a Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court.

The economic watchdog is probing a money laundering case against Mirchi, who was a close aide of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim.

So far, at least four people identified as Humayun Merchant, Rinku Deshpande, Haroun Yousuf and Ranjit Singh Bindra, who all played crucial roles in laundering huge amounts of money and dealing of three illegal properties related to Mirchi in Worli at Mariam Lodge, Rabia Mansion and Sea View buildings.

Mirchi had bought the three properties totally measuring 1,537 square metres in Worli area of Mumbai in September 1986 for an amount of Rs 6.5 lakh through his company Rockside Enterprises.

These properties were tenanted but the tenants left these premises as the condition of these buildings was not good. When the ED carried out searches at these properties, it was found that various criminal cases were lodged against Mirchi.

Later, Mirchi had absconded from India and consequently proclamation against him was issued and his various properties were attached under Smuggling and Foreign Exchange Mpulators Authority (SAFEMA), the probe agency has said.

The investigative agency has identified the Benami properties of Mirchi, including 10 properties in Mumbai, one property in UAE and 25 properties in the UK. The ED will start the process to attach the properties in India and letters rogatory will be sent to the UK and the UAE to attach the properties.

( With inputs from ANI )