Dawood Ibrahim's ancestral properties in Maharashtra to be auctioned

MUMBAI: Underworld don Dawood Ibrahim's childhood house and three other properties owned by his family in Maharashtra's Ratnagiri are set to be auctioned on Friday. The four properties--all agricultural land--owned by Ibrahim's family are located in Mumbake village.

The properties have been placed for auction at a reserve price of Rs 19 lakh. The properties were seized by authorities under the Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators (Forfeiture of Property) Act (SAFEMA).

According to an official statement by SAFEMA, these properties take the form of agricultural land in Dawood Ibrahim's ancestral village, named Mumbake, at Khed in the Ratnagiri District of Maharashtra.

"Several bids have been received, and the bidding process is scheduled to take place between 2:00 pm and 3:30 pm on January 5," the statement read.

Earlier in 2017 and in 2020, over 17 properties belonging to the underworld don were auctioned off by SAFEMA. Lawyer and Shiv Sena member Ajay Srivastava had bid for a string of shops in 2001, which are still caught in a legal tender.

However, Srivastava said he is hoping to get the deed to Dawood's ancestral home soon, with plans to launch a Sanatan Pathshala (school) there. "In 2001, the auction was conducted by the Income Tax Department, but the problem with the department was that they did not offer the possession of the property and I am still fighting for that in the court.

The case is pending in high court. In 2020, I took Ibrahim's bungalow situated in Ratnagiri in the auction and there I founded Sanatan Pathshala in the line of madrassas. Under the trust, I have built an educational institute there and its construction will start soon," Srivastava said.

Dawood Ibrahim, a key accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, had lived in the Mumbake village before moving to Mumbai in 1983. He left India after the series of bomb blasts which resulted in the death of 257 persons.

Ibrahim designated as a "Global Terrorist" by the United Nations under United Nations Security Resolution 1267 and also listed under the Fourth Schedule of the UAPA Act, 1967, runs an international terrorist network, namely D-Company.