Published 21:38 IST, December 9th 2019
ED files chargesheet in Iqbal Mirchi case, Ceejay House attached
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed the chargesheet in the money-laundering case involving gangster Iqbal Mirchi, naming around 16 people as accused.
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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday filed the chargesheet in the money-laundering case involving gangster Iqbal Mirchi. The agency has named around 16 people as accused which includes Iqbal Mirchi, his sons Asif Memon and Junaid Memon, his wife Hazra Memon, Director of Sunblink Real Estate Sunny Bhatija, broker Ranjeet Singh Bindra, Haroon Yusuf, Rinku Deshpande, Humayun Merchant, Director of Joy Creations Jayesh Soni. Also in a major impact of Republic TV’s investigation, ED has named Dheeraj Wadhawan of Dewan Housing Finance Corporation (DHFL) and RKW Developers as an accused in the 12,000-page chargesheet. The agency has also attached the 3rd and 4th floor of Ceejay House in Mumbai on Monday. The property had come under the scanner as both the floors were allegedly linked to Iqbal Mirchi’s family.
Republic TV carried out a deep investigation
Sources in the agency have also confirmed that they would be filing a supplementary chargesheet as the investigation is still underway. Republic TV has been the only channel that has carried out a deep investigation in this case. Last month, Republic TV had run a series of investigative reports exposing the likes of Dheeraj Wadhawan and RKW Developers who have now been named as an accused by the agency. Republic TV’s investigation raised some uncomfortable questions about DHFL’s role. Investigation revealed that a company called Sunblink Real Estate Private Ltd, which was involved in developing properties in Mumbai for Dawood Ibrahim’s right-hand man Iqbal Mirchi, received loans from an NBFC to the tune of Rs.2,186 crores. This was acknowledged by the agency. Republic TV accessed certain company documents which indicated that the NBFC in question could be DHFL. The agency suspected that this loan received by Sunblink could be the proceeds of crime which perhaps may have been used in terror activities.
The suspicious link between D-Gang members and businessmen
Few other documents accessed by Republic TV explained the link between suspicious companies, people and businesses operating in the real estate sector with D-Gang members and Mumbai based several businessmen dealing in crores. In the course of our investigation, we came across a company called RKW Developers. RKW developers is owned by Dheeraj Wadhawan, son of Rajesh Kumar Wadhawan of the famous Wadhawan family in Mumbai. In its remand copy, the enforcement directorate claims that Ranjeet Bindra "negotiated with Iqbal Memon on behalf of M/s Sunblink Real Estate Pvt. Ltd. and finalized the deal" as well "got brokerage/commission of Rs.30 crore. through market operators". One of the directors of Sunblink Real Estate (another company under investigation) had given statement saying that "the negotiations of the deal with Iqbal Mirchi and Humayun Merchant (a close confidant of Iqbal Mirchi with power of attorney) was undertaken by Ranjeet Singh Bindra and for the purpose, he was to receive brokerage of Rs. 40 to 50 crore." Ranjeet Bindra was dealing with the right-hand man of Iqbal Mirchi and earned money from those property dealings and was also involved in the property business with Dheeraj Wadhawan. According to the documents accessed, Ranjeet Bindra associated with RKW Developers in the capacity of the director and had joined the company in 2010.
21:22 IST, December 9th 2019