London: Iqbal Mirchi, a close aide of Dawood Ibrahim, who is India’s most-wanted and on the FBI’s top terrorists list, was arrested on late Tuesday in London.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) confirmed his arrest. Mirchi, 61, is on an Interpol red corner alert and Indian attempts to have him extradited some years ago were unsuccessful.
The arrest of Mirchi, whose real name is Mohammed Iqbal Memon, wanted by the Mumbai police in several cases including those related to a murder and narcotics trafficking, could be the key to unravelling the D (Dawood)-gang’s worldwide illegal drugs smuggling operations.
These operations which are worth several thousand crore are spread from Afghanistan and African countries to the United States and European countries. “In case he gets extradited to India, he could expose Dawood and his aides, who are being kept in Karachi by authorities there,” said a CBI source. “But Mirchi has very strong connections and getting him extradited will be difficult.”
Mirchi, who in the past had admitted to media about meeting Dawood in London several times, had fled Mumbai in the late eighties. He was staying in the UK for the past 20 years and owned a luxury hotel and a six-bedroom house. In April 1995, London’s Scotland Yard had raided Mirchi’s home and arrested him on drugs and terrorism charges in connection with the 1993 blasts, charges which were later replaced with that of the murder in Mumbai of the manager of his London rice mill.
Dear TNT Reader,
At The News Tribe, our mission is to bring you free, independent, and unbiased news and content that keeps you informed and empowered. We are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism, as we understand that we are a platform for truth.
Apart from independent global news coverage, we also commit our unique focus on the Muslim world. In an age marked by the troubling rise of Islamophobia and widespread misrepresentation of Muslims in Western media, we strive to provide accurate and fair coverage.
But to continue doing so, we need your support. Even a small donation of 1$ can make a big difference. Your contribution will help us maintain the quality of our news and counteract the negative narratives that are so prevalent.
Please consider donating today to ensure we can keep delivering the news that matters. Together, we can make a positive impact on the world, and work towards a more inclusive, informed global society.
Donate Monthly Subscription Annual Subscription