Mumbai: ED arrests gangster Iqbal Mirchi’s close aide

The Enforcement Directorate has arrested a close aide of D-company gangster Iqbal Mirchi on Tuesday in connection with the land deal case.

Humayun Merchant, the close aide will be produced in the Mumbai Court today. He has been arrested for his link up with the controversial properties that are owned by deceased Dawood Ibrahim’s right-hand man, Mirchi.

As per the reports, Mirchi had given his power of attorney to Merchant to fix deals on his behalf.

Apart from half a dozen properties of Iqbal in India, Indian investigative agencies have also identified over 25 properties of Mirchi in London and UAE.

As per the ED, one of the controversial property owned by Iqbal is two floors of Ceejay House in Mumbai. Also, former Union Minister Praful Patel has been questioned by the ED in connection with the case as he signed an agreement with family members of Mirchi.

Earlier, Patel was questioned by the investigative agency and confronted him with documents and statements of key players involved in the case.

Merchant's arrest comes on the heels of ED's raids at locations of DHFL and its promoters in connection with loan sanctioned to Sunblink Real Estate, which has alleged links with Mirchi. The raids on 19 October were conducted at 14 locations across the country, PTI reported.

-With PTI inputs

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