As administrative noose tightens around mining kingpin, cops say he is in West Asia

Meerut: Saharanpur-based former BSP MLC and alleged mining mafia kingpin Mohd Iqbal, in a latest development, has been pronounced "absconder". In the last five years, more than 50 cases have been slapped against him. However, UP police said that "Iqbal is not in India any longer and has fled to West Asia".SP (rural) Saharanpur, Suraj Rai, said, “Iqbal had secured anticipatory bail in early May and on May 7 we have information that he left India and is somewhere in West Asia at the moment. But we are after him.”Notably, Iqbal’s youngest son Abdul Wajid also tried to flee to Dubai and this time, UP police arrested him from the Delhi airport on October 26 last year.Fugitive Iqbal, accused of running a mining syndicate in and around Saharanpur, is facing a probe for allegedly laundering money to the tune of Rs 10,000 crore. He is also under the scanner of central investigative agencies, including the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO), the enforcement directorate and the income tax department. His four sons are currently in jail while his brother former MLC Mehmood Ali lodged in Chitrakoot jail.Further investigation claimed Iqbal, in a span of 30 years, amassed huge wealth, including 11 sugar mills, 111 shell companies, huge land parcels and properties spread across Noida to Dehradun, through "illegal mining".