The Enforcement Directorate has filed an FIR against unidentified individuals who broke into a flat in Thane (West) on October 15, claiming ownership of property attached in a high-profile money laundering case. The agency stated that the trespassers interfered with the lock and removed the possession notice affixed by the ED, a move that directly challenged the government's legal hold on the asset. This incident marks a physical confrontation over the property, which was provisionally attached in April 2022 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The flat is central to an investigation against Iqbal Kaskar, the brother of global fugitive Dawood Ibrahim. The ED alleges the property was extorted from local real estate developer Suresh Devichand Mehta. Although the Adjudicating Authority confirmed the attachment order in September 2022, the agency only took physical possession in December 2024 after the legal process concluded. The flat was registered in May 2015 in the name of Mumtaz Azaz Sheikh, a co-accused in the case against Kaskar.
Upon receiving intelligence about the breach, the ED immediately approached the designated special PMLA court in Mumbai. The court directed the agency to restore possession with police assistance. Officers from the Kasarvadavali police station accompanied ED officials to the site, where they changed the lock in the presence of witnesses and re-affixed a fresh notice. The new notice explicitly warns that any aggrieved party must approach the ED office or the Hon'ble Court, not the property itself.
The legal battle over this asset is far from over. While the ED has reasserted control, the criminal complaint filed against the trespassers could lead to further charges if the suspects are identified. The next step lies with the Thane police as they investigate the unauthorized entry, while the PMLA trial against Kaskar continues in the special court in Mumbai.