The special court on Thursday remanded Humayun Merchant, an alleged aide of the late international drug kingpin, Iqbal Mirchi, to 14 days in judicial custody.
Humayun, said to be a front-man of Mirchi in Mumbai, had been arrested by ED on Tuesday in connection with a money laundering probe launched by the directorate into the sale of three properties belonging to the late drug lord, in 2010.
Humayun, the agency claims, had arranged fake tenants for the three properties at Worli — Mariam Lodge, Sea View and Rabia Mansion — before striking a deal with a realty firm, Sunblink Reality Pvt Ltd for their sale.
Humayun is alleged to have gained Rs 5 crore from the deal, which was struck for an approximate amount of Rs 225 crore.
Of the entire proceeds of crime, Rs 127 crore is suspected to have been routed to firms controlled by Mirchi in Dubai through illegal channels. Humayun who was is in the business of scouting for clients for Mirchi’s properties is said to have played a key role in the sale of another property in the vicinity to Praful Patel controlled Millennium Developers Pvt Ltd, which is also being probed by the ED at present. Patel, a former union minister, had already been questioned by the agency earlier this month.
