In a stunning revelation that raises serious questions about the vigilance and coordination of India’s top enforcement and policing agencies, a high-profile property in South Mumbai — New Roshan Talkies, once linked to underworld figure Iqbal Mirchi — was illegally demolished, stripped, and sold, despite being formally attached under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
According to an FIR registered by the V.P. Road Police Station on August 5, 2025, the accused Abdul Karim Mohammad illegally entered the government-attached property, demolished its structures, sold the scrap, and even entered into a ₹15 crore land deal, while the ED and local police allegedly remained unaware or inactive.
🔍 The Background: Iqbal Mirchi and New Roshan Talkies
The property in question, New Roshan Talkies, located at Girgaon, is historically linked to Iqbal Memon alias Iqbal Mirchi, a known associate of Dawood Ibrahim.
In 2020, the ED provisionally attached the property under a money laundering probe. The attachment was confirmed in 2021 by the PMLA Adjudicating Authority.
Despite this, the ED did not take physical possession until December 4, 2024, following a November 2024 order by the PMLA Appellate Tribunal.
🚧 The Breach: What the Accused Did
According to the FIR:
- In July 2023, Abdul Karim Mohammad executed a one-sided transfer deed, claiming to be the owner of the property — without any legal title or proof of payment.
- Between September and October 2024, he demolished existing structures on the property, knowing it was attached under PMLA.
- In November 2023, he entered into a sale agreement with Govind Builders, valuing the land at ₹15 crore, and accepted a token payment of ₹99 lakh.
- He also sold building scrap and debris for ₹5 lakh in cash to a local dealer.
- All of this was done before ED physically took control — but well after the property was legally attached and declared government-controlled.
🧾 The Cover-Up: Fake Documents & No Proof
The FIR, lodged by an ED officer, notes that Abdul Karim:
- Failed to produce any documentary proof of having paid ₹5.4 lakh in 1982 for the property as he claimed.
- Did not notify or contact legal heirs of Iqbal Mirchi or the original sellers.
- Used forged narratives to mislead buyers and carried out transactions that are legally null and void under PMLA provisions.
Even more damning, Junaid Iqbal Memon, son of Iqbal Mirchi, had to approach the PMLA Appellate Tribunal in November 2024 to inform them about the illegal encroachment and demolition. The tribunal then ordered the ED to take possession — months after the property was already damaged and dealt.
❓ The Real Question: Where Were ED and Police?
Despite the property being a high-value asset linked to international crime networks, and under active PMLA proceedings, neither the Enforcement Directorate nor the Mumbai Police seem to have monitored, guarded, or physically secured the property for over three years after attachment.
➡️ How did an accused freely enter and demolish a government-seized asset in South Mumbai?
➡️ Why was there no surveillance, police protection, or court-enforced monitoring of the land?
➡️ Why did it take almost a year — and a legal plea by the underworld don’s family — for the authorities to act?
These are questions that remain unanswered even as a formal investigation begins.
📌 Legal Action So Far
The FIR has invoked several serious provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, including:
- Section 329(3) – Destruction of property under attachment
- Section 318(4), 324(3), 324(5) – Cheating and criminal misrepresentation
- Section 223(b) – Criminal conspiracy
The accused faces prosecution, and further arrests or property freezes are expected.
⚖️ A Systemic Failure?
The case underscores deep flaws in the enforcement architecture. Despite legal tools, court orders, and central agency oversight, the gap between law on paper and action on ground allowed a high-value, crime-linked property to be misused.
When agencies fail to act on their own attachments, what message does it send to encroachers and land mafia?
As the investigation unfolds, this case may become a test for the ED’s credibility and the Mumbai Police’s preparedness in protecting sensitive government-seized properties.
Also Read: Sanjay Raut’s Property Attached by ED
