Following the highly anticipated auction, underworld don Dawood Ibrahim’s childhood home and three family-owned properties in Maharashtra’s Ratnagiri have found new owners. The four agricultural land parcels in Mumbake village, offered with a reserve price of Rs 19 lakh, were successfully auctioned after being seized under the Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators (Forfeiture of Property) Act (SAFEMA).
A statement from SAFEMA disclosed that multiple bids were received, culminating in a competitive bidding process between 2:00 pm and 3:30 pm on January 5. The successful auction adds another chapter to the history of SAFEMA’s dealings with properties associated with Dawood Ibrahim, following similar auctions in 2017 and 2020, where over 17 properties linked to the underworld figure were sold.
Notably, lawyer and Shiv Sena member Ajay Srivastava, who bid for a series of shops in 2001, expressed his optimism about acquiring the deed to Dawood’s ancestral home.
Despite lingering legal complexities, Srivastava plans to launch a Sanatan Pathshala (school) on the premises. Reflecting on his endeavors, he explained, “In 2001, the auction was conducted by the Income Tax Department. However, the department did not transfer possession of the property, leading to an ongoing legal battle in the high court.
In 2020, I successfully bid for Ibrahim’s bungalow in Ratnagiri, where I established Sanatan Pathshala. Construction of the educational institute, under the trust, is set to commence soon.”
Dawood Ibrahim, a central figure in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, had resided in Mumbake village before relocating to Mumbai in 1983. Following the tragic events that resulted in the death of 257 individuals, Ibrahim left India.
Designated as a “Global Terrorist” by the United Nations under United Nations Security Resolution 1267 and listed under the Fourth Schedule of the UAPA Act, 1967, he oversees an international terrorist network known as D-Company.