ED arrests Iqbal Mirchi's aides in real estate PMLA case

The Enforcement Directorate on Friday arrested two people in connection with its money laundering probe against late Iqbal Mirchi-- the right hand man of fugitive Pakistan-based don Dawood Ibrahim, officials said.

They said Haroun Aleem Yusuf and Ranjeet Singh Bindra were placed under arrest here under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act for alleged non-cooperation in investigation of the case.

The ED had filed a criminal case of money laundering against Yusuf and Bindra on the basis of an FIR registered by Mumbai police against Mirchi and others.

Mirchi died in 2013 in London.

The probe pertains to Mirchi purchasing three properties belonging to Sir Mohammad Yusuf Trust in September 1986 for an amount of Rs 6.5 lakh through his company Rockside Enterprise, agency sources said.

These properties -- Sea View, Marium Lodge and Rabia Mansion -- measuring 1,537 sq metre are located in Worli area of Mumbai.

The ED is probing money laundering by associates of Mirchi, and Yusuf and Bindra are alleged to have helped in changing the ownership of these properties for usurping them.

The agency alleged that Yusuf played "very crucial role" in the above illegal dealings of Mirchi.

It also charged that Bindra negotiated with Mirchi on behalf of Sunblink Real Estate Pvt. Ltd. and finalized the property deal and got brokerage of Rs 30 crore through market operators.

It said Bindra played a "crucial role" in the deal of these three properties.