UK closes extradition case against Iqbal Mirchi’s wife and two sons

THe UK coronate criminal prosecution serve (CPS) has unsympathetic the extradition caseful against Hajra Memon , wife of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim’s former aide and international drug trafficker Iqbal Mirchi , and her sons, Junaid and Asif Memon, citing legal infirmities in India’s request, according to people familiar with the development.Following the CPS communication asking Delhi to submit a fresh, rectified extradition request for the three fugitives, the ministry of home affairs (MHA) has sought a response from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on a “priority basis.”“The CPS and the UK’s National Crime Agency, which handle extradition cases on behalf of the Indian government before British courts, have recently informed us that the extradition request for Hajra, Asif, and Junaid Memon contains certain legal infirmities that could jeopardize court proceedings and render the entire exercise futile. They have asked us to send a revised request promptly, covering all legal aspects without loopholes,” said a senior government official, who asked not to be named.The official added that “the MHA is closely monitoring the matter and has asked the ED to respond on priority basis.”Mirchi, a close associate of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, was involved in drug trafficking and extortion operations for the latter before his death in the UK in August 2013.According to ED, Mirchi owned properties in Mumbai, the UAE, and at least 16 locations across the UK. In 2020, the agency attached assets worth ₹776 crore belonging to the family, including a farmhouse, two bungalows, and 3.5 acres of land in Panchgani, in addition to 15 properties in the UAE.ED registered a money laundering case against the Memon family in 2019, linked to alleged illegal transactions in the purchase and sale of real estate in Mumbai. A charge sheet was filed in December that year. In 2021, Hajra, Asif, and Junaid were declared fugitive economic offenders (FEOs), and Interpol Red Notices were issued against them , but by the time, they had fled to the UK via the UAE.An extradition request seeking their repatriation was submitted to UK authorities in early 2022.“We have had discussions in the past with the CPS and they also made a visit to Delhi recently. They have made it clear that extradition requests need to be foolproof,” said a second officer, who also requested anonymity.The latest development in the case suggests that the timeline to get them back to India might have been pushed a few years.As exclusively reported by HT, a UK court recently accepted a plea by fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi to reopen his extradition appeal. Also, a CPS team visited Delhi’s Tihar prison in July to assess the conditions for inmates as part of efforts to strengthen India’s case for the extradition of high-profile economic offenders.