ED arrests Iqbal Mirchi's aide in land deal case

Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday (October 22) arrested Humayun Merchant, a close aide of notorious gangster Iqbal Mirchi. The department also seized Merchant’s property in an alleged land deal case involving Mirchi.

Merchant will be produced in a court in Mumbai later in the day. The agency has already arrested Mirchi’s other associates Haroun Yousuf and Ranjit Singh Bindra.

According to reports, investigative agencies have also narrowed down on half-a-dozen properties in India and 25 linked to Mirchi in London and UAE.

ED had earlier questioned NCP leader and former Union minister Praful Patel over his alleged connection with the case.

According to ANI, the ED has identified the Benami assets of Mirchi, who was declared one of the 10 foreign kingpins by the US.

(With inputs from agencies)