Man who helped Iqbal Mirchi in buying properties granted bail

New Delhi: In a setback to Enforcement Directorate (ED), a Special PMLA Court in Mumbai has granted bail to Haroun Yusuf in connection with a PMLA case related to underworld don Dawood Ibrahim’s aide Iqbal Mirchi.

Advocate Prashant Patil, who appeared for Yusuf, argued that the money trail was not traced by the ED in the matter.

“My client was part of the Trust whose properties were bought by Iqbal Mirchi. He wasn’t involved in the money laundering. No Scheduled Offence is made out by him,” Patil had argued.

The ED had objected to the plea moved by Yusuf. However, the High Court allowed the arguments made by Patil.

“Yusuf had absolutely no role in any of the alleged criminal activities relating to the Scheduled Offence for alleged generation of proceeds of crime. Also, except bare allegations, there is nothing to show that he had any knowledge regarding Iqbal Mirchi’s source of money. Therefore, contention of the ED that he had knowledge of such criminal activities relating to the Scheduled Offence has absolutely no substance,” Special Judge, M.G. Deshpande noted while granting bail to Yusuf.

Multiple FIRs were registered against Mirchi in several states under the NDPS Act and other Sections of the IPC. On the basis of these FIRs, the ED lodged a PMLA case on September 26, 2019.

The ED learnt that through smuggling of drugs and arms, extortion racket and other illegal acts, Mirchi accumulated huge wealth and generated proceeds of crime (POC). The POC was later invested in real estate business in Maharashtra. A few shell firms were incorporated which were being controlled by Mirchi and his family members as well as relatives.

Bank accounts were opened using fake KYC through which crores of rupees were transferred to various parties and ultimately accumulated by Mirchi through non-banking channels in Dubai.

It was also alleged that Mirchi bought the properties belonging to a Trust. The Trust had a rule that if anyone wanted to buy its properties, the buyer will have to take permission from the High Court.

In 1986, Mirchi bought three properties belonging to the Trust. However, he didn’t take permission from High Court following which the Trust terminated the agreement. In 1991, he fled from India. ED in its case alleged that Yusuf took money from Mirchi which was proceeds of crime, and made him an accused.