New Delhi, April 19:  Most-wanted terrorist Dawood Ibrahim's properties in Mumbai will be taken over by the government, the Supreme Court said on Friday.  A bench headed by Justice RK Agarwal squashed the plea filed by Ibrahim’s sister (late) Haseena Parker and mother Amina Bi Kaskar against the property attachment by the Indian government.  In their plea, they both said that being Dawood’s family, the properties belong to them.

The prime properties in Mumbai’s Nagpada area belonged to don Dawood, but as he fled from India all the property has been occupied by his mother and sister thereafter. In the year 1988, the government sealed his properties under a law - the Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators (Forfeiture of Property) Act, that allows to take over the properties.

However, Dawood’s sister and mother challenged the government action. Also, prior moving to SC they both moved tribunal and the Delhi High Court, but their plea was dismissed. In November 2012, the Apex Court had ordered a status quo in the case for which the decision has been announced today, which is after six years.

The government public prosecutor said to the court that several opportunities were given to Amina and Hasina earlier to show legal sources of income to acquire the properties, but no valid document was filed by them.  The court in reply took the decision.

The duo reportedly had seven residential properties on their names - two in Amina Bi's name and five in Hasina Parker’s name. Also, its’ been claimed that the properties worth crores of rupees, were allegedly acquired with Dawood's illegal wealth.

In addition, three South Bombay (SoBo) properties belonging to the fugitive don were auctioned for Rs 11.58 crore in November 2017. These properties were put on auction by the ministry of finance, under the Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators (Forfeiture of Property) Act. The three properties were the Hotel Raunaq Afroz, also known as Delhi Zaika, Shabnam Guest House and six rooms in Damarwala building.

Dawood Ibrahim is the mastermind of the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts. He is listed as a global terrorist by the UN Security Council's IS and al-Qaida Sanctions Committee. He has been sheltered by Pakistan and it’s been confirmed, as the list of terror organizations and terrorists was released by the United Nation Security Council included Dawood Ibrahim and his Karachi address.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 20, 2018 12:17 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).