40 Bandra buildings funded with underworld money: PIL

Is the underworld financing the construction and development of about forty buildings in Naupada area in Bandra (east)? A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Bombay high court claiming this is the case.

The PIL, filed in September last by Ashraf Mansuri, a resident of Naupada, alleges that Anees and Imran Khan, sons of Yeda Yakub, an absconding accused in the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts case, are developing and constructing at least 40 properties in Bandra (east). The petition states that, keeping in mind Yakub’s underworld connections, there is a strong possibility of the underworld financing these constructions.

“The source of the money needs to be investigated,” argued the petitioner’s lawyer, RM Yadav. The petition also states that the civic authority is not taking enough steps to prevent the execution of these construction projects.

Hearing the petitioner’s case, a division bench of justices FI Rebello and J H Bhatia pulled up the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for filing a vague affidavit and for not stating clearly if it has granted permission for the said constructions.

The BMC, on the other hand, told the court that it has issued stop-work notices to these constructions last year. The advocate for the BMC sought time to file a detailed reply.

Yeda Yakub has been declared absconding by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), along with the main conspirators Tiger Memon and Dawood Ibrahim. It is believed that Yakub is holed up in Dubai.