Lucknow. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has taken major action in the case of illegal mining in Saharanpur. The team of ED’s Lucknow zonal office has seized 121 acres of land and all the buildings of Glocal University of Saharanpur, former BSP MLC Mohd. Iqbal.
The value of the seized property is Rs 4,440 crore. CBI and other agencies are also investigating against Iqbal. ED is also investigating against Iqbal in the much-discussed sugar mill scam during the BSP regime and in this case, it has seized his property worth Rs 1097 crore in the year 2021.
According to ED officials, Mohd. Iqbal invested more than Rs 500 crore in Glocal University from the black money earned from illegal mining in and around Saharanpur between 2010 and 2012. Iqbal had purchased the land of the university and got it constructed through Abdul Wahid Educational and Charitable Trust. Jailed in different cases
According to ED officials, Mohd. Iqbal is absconding and there is a possibility of him fleeing to Dubai. Mohd. Iqbal’s four sons and brothers are jailed in different cases.
According to ED, Iqbal was the chairman of Abdul Wahid Educational and Charitable Trust. All the trustees are from Iqbal’s family. CBI Delhi had registered a case and started investigation in the mining scam in Saharanpur about 10 years ago.
ED had started investigation by registering a case of money laundering in the matter based on CBI’s FIR. In the case of irregularities in mining leases in Saharanpur, lease holders Mahmood Ali, Dilshad, Mohammad Inaam, Mehboob Alam (now dead), Naseem Ahmed, Amit Jain, Narendra Kumar Jain, Vikas Agarwal, Mohammad Iqbal’s son Mohammad Wajid, Mukesh Jain, Puneet Jain and unknown government officials are accused.
ED’s investigation revealed that all the mining firms were owned and operated by Mohammad Iqbal. The firms of Iqbal and his close associates had carried out large scale illegal mining in Saharanpur and surrounding areas. Transactions worth crores of rupees were done through those firms.
Md. Iqbal hid this black money in the Income Tax statement. Later the black money was transferred to the bank account of Abdul Wahid Educational Trust. Most of the amount was transferred in the form of donation and loan.