A special court in Mumbai has ordered the transfer of 14 properties linked to Tiger Memon, one of the alleged masterminds of the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, to the central government, 32 years after the attacks
Tiger Memon. File Pic
A special court in Mumbai has directed that 14 properties linked to Tiger Memon, one of the alleged masterminds of the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts, and his family, be handed over to the central government.
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According to PTI reports, these properties had been under the possession of the Bombay High Court's receiver since 1994, following an order issued by the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) court. The properties in question include a flat in Bandra (West), an office space and an open plot in Mahim, a vacant plot and a flat in Santacruz (East), two flats in a Kurla building, an office on Mohammed Ali Road, a shop and plot in Dongri, three shops in Manish Market, and a building on Sheikh Memon Street, Mumbai.
On 12th March 1993, a series of 13 explosions across Mumbai led to the deaths of 257 individuals and left over 700 injured. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) subsequently launched an extensive inquiry into the case.
As per PTI, in an order issued on 26th March, special TADA court judge V D Kedar ruled that "the possession of the immovable properties needs to be handed over to the central government." The court confirmed that the properties forfeited to the Centre are "free from encumbrances," thereby allowing the competent authority to assume control of these assets on behalf of the government.
The request for the release of the properties was made by the competent authority under the Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators (Forfeiture of Property) Act, SAFEM (FOP) Act. According to PTI reports, the plea highlighted that the SAFEM (FOP) Act is designed to identify illegally acquired assets of smugglers and drug traffickers and facilitate their forfeiture to the central government.
Forfeiture proceedings against Memon were initiated based on a detention order issued by the Maharashtra government in 1992 under the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Act, 1974. Following this, the competent authority ordered the forfeiture of various properties in 1993 under the SAFEM (FOP) Act.
However, in 1994, these properties were attached by the special TADA court overseeing the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts trial and were subsequently placed under the jurisdiction of the Bombay High Court.
As per PTI reports, the court had issued notices to Tiger Memon and his family regarding the plea from the competent authority, but no response was filed. After reviewing the available documents, the special judge concluded that it was necessary to set aside the attachment order issued in 1994.
The order further stated that possession of the immovable properties should be transferred to the central government through the applicant (competent authority) in line with the forfeiture order passed in 1993.
According to the CBI, the 1993 Mumbai blasts were orchestrated by underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, in collaboration with his aides Tiger Memon and Mohammed Dossa, allegedly at the behest of Pakistan's intelligence agency, ISI. While Dawood Ibrahim and Tiger Memon remain fugitives, Memon’s brother, Yakub Memon, was convicted and sentenced to death. He was executed in 2015.
(With inputs from PTI)
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