Admin orders attachment of 56 properties linked to sand mafia Haji Iqbal

Meerut: Saharanpur district administration on Wednesday ordered the attachment of 56 properties allegedly acquired through illegal means by sand mafia Mohammad Iqbal, also known as Haji Iqbal and Bala, under Section 14(1) of the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, 1986.DM Manish Bansal directed the attachment of assets, primarily comprising land, with an estimated current market value of around Rs 276 crore. The tehsildar of Behat has been appointed as the administrator to oversee and manage the confiscated properties.Officials said Mohammad Iqbal, a former BSP MLC, along with his associates and family members, was accused of operating as an organised gang. A case under the Gangsters Act (Case No. 83/2022, Sections 2/3) has already been registered against him at Mirzapur police station in Saharanpur.Investigators have alleged Iqbal's involvement in illegal timber smuggling from forest areas, unlawful mining activities, land grabbing, and fraudulent property transactions.Officials claimed that nearly 50 criminal cases were registered against Iqbal across various districts and states after the Supreme Court ordered an investigation against him in 2015 following a PIL alleging that he had amassed wealth worth Rs 10,000 crore.Following the court's directions, agencies including the Income Tax department, SFIO, ED and CBDT initiated action. Several of Iqbal's family members, including his sons and brothers, were arrested during the probe, though Iqbal himself was never taken into custody. Police sources said Iqbal fled to Middle East in 2024. The administration has directed that the attached properties be managed under official supervision.