Mumbai, Nov 18 (IANS): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has strengthened its case for attachment of three properties worth Rs 500 crore of fugitive underworld don and India's most wanted criminal Dawood Ibrahim's close aide Iqbal Mirchi, who died in 2013 in Britain.

Rabia Mansion, Mariam Lodge and Sea View are the buildings in Mumbai's Worli suburb.

Investigation conducted by the ED revealed that Mirchi, in connivance with the Sir Mohamed Yusuf Trust, misrepresented about the ownership of these buildings before the competent authorities in 2005.

The properties were falsely claimed by a trust before these authorities on the pretext that Mirchi had not made complete payment and consequently, it did not hand over possession of these properties to him.

On the basis of this plea, these properties were earlier released from attachment under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 in 2005.

On November 6 last year, the ED informed the competent authority of the correct factual position, sharing definite and undeniable evidence of ownership of these properties by Mirchi, who was often called the drug baron for his thriving narcotics business across Asia, Africa and Europe.

The agency said that these evidences -- includes complete payment receipts issued by the trust along with the corresponding entry in bank passbooks, thee letter issued by the trust regarding handing over the possession to Iqbal Memon, submissions to Income Tax admitting sale of these properties -- were gathered by its investigators during course of search proceedings under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

In the fresh order, the competent authority has now observed that the order dated March 11, 2005 was obtained through fraud, willful suppression of documentary evidence and facts and is therefore non-est order in eyes of law.

It further observed that the trust concealed vital evidence and facts regarding the ownership of these properties and had misled the court also, said the ED. "Hence the order of August 31, 2004 and March 4, 2005 of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate were obtained by fraud."

These properties have also been attached by the ED under the PMLA and the total attachment in this case has reached Rs 798 crore.

On the basis of prosecution complaint dated December 9, 2019 filed by the ED before the Special PMLA Court, open-ended non-bailable warrants have been issued against Asif Memon, Junaid Memon (both sons of Iqbal Mirchi) and Hajra Memon (wife of Iqbal Memon).

"Till now, five persons have been arrested in this case. Further investigation under PMLA is under progress," added the ED.