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The appellate tribunal for forfeited property on Friday has upheld the forfeiture of properties in Mumbai owned by Iqbal Mohammed Memon alias Iqbal Mirchi and his family members under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.
"The forfeiture order in the case of Iqbal Mohd Memon and seven others vs the competent authority, Mumbai, involved a large number of commercial and residential properties worth several crores of rupees," a Press Information Bureau release said.
A bench headed by Justice J Eshwara Prasad, tribunal chairman, delivered the verdict.
The Government of Maharashtra had ordered Memon's detention in September 1994 under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, but he absconded. Consequently, proceedings were initiated under the NDPS Act for the forfeiture of properties owned by him and his relatives as having been illegally acquired.
Based on the evidence, the tribunal came to the conclusion that the properties had indeed been acquired with funds generated through drug trafficking, the release said.
It was observed that within a very short period of time Memon and his family members created an empire with huge unexplained investments in commercial as well as residential properties. There was hardly any indication of any convincing business activity being carried out by them.
The tribunal dismissed the appellant's plea that the provisions of the NDPS Act were not applicable to Indian citizens residing outside India.
In the past, the tribunal has upheld the forfeiture of a large number of properties belonging to Harshad P Mehta, Dawood Ibrahaim and their relatives and associates.
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