MUMBAI: Properties owned by 1993 Mumbai serial blasts accused Tiger Memon and his family members — including a Mahim flat where one of the key conspiracy meetings was allegedly held — are set to be auctioned soon, officials confirmed on Thursday.
The Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators Act (SAFEMA) Authority has taken possession of eight properties belonging to Memon and his relatives, following details shared by the special TADA court. The auction process is expected to begin in December or January, after valuation and legal formalities are completed.
Eight properties seized, more under litigation
A senior official told PTI that SAFEMA had received details of 17 properties linked to Tiger Memon and his family. Of these, eight have been seized, including three flats in the Al Husseini building in Mahim, central Mumbai — the same premises where the Memon family, comprising Tiger, his brothers, and their mother, once lived.
“The valuation process for the seized assets is currently underway. Once completed, the properties will be auctioned through transparent government procedures,” the official said.
Four other properties remain under litigation, while the process of taking possession of five additional properties is ongoing.
Flats tied to blasts conspiracy meetings
According to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), one of the conspiracy meetings for the March 12, 1993 Mumbai serial blasts took place in the Memon family’s Mahim flat. The family owned three adjoining apartments on the fifth and sixth floors of the Al Husseini building, which were sealed by authorities 34 years ago.
Earlier this year, law enforcement officials reopened the flats for evaluation after decades of being locked. The site, investigators said, had served as a meeting point for the operatives involved in the coordinated bombings that killed 257 people and injured hundreds across 12 locations in Mumbai.
Tiger Memon’s status and family background
Tiger Memon, a key conspirator in the blasts, has been absconding since 1993 and is believed to be hiding in Pakistan. His brother Yakub Memon was arrested, tried, and executed in 2015 for his role in the attacks. Other members of the Memon family received varying prison sentences handed down by the special TADA court.
High-value land among assets to be auctioned
The Memons’ seized and soon-to-be-seized assets span across Mumbai’s prime localities. These include a 10,000-square-metre land parcel in Kole Kalyan, Vakola, estimated to be worth around ₹400 crore. The plot, currently encroached upon and flanked by two buildings, remains under SAFEMA’s process of repossession.
Authorities are also working to secure a property in Zaveri Bazar, one of South Mumbai’s busiest commercial hubs. In addition, a flat in Bandra and two flats in Kapadia Nagar, Kurla, are on the list of properties to be auctioned once SAFEMA obtains possession.
Shops in Manish Market under court review
The Memon family’s commercial holdings include four shops in Manish Market, jointly owned by Tiger Memon and Mohammad Dosa, another accused in the blasts case. An appeal challenging the TADA court’s order to transfer these shops to SAFEMA is currently pending before a higher court.
“The government is committed to ensuring that assets acquired through unlawful or anti-national activities are brought under state control and repurposed transparently,” the official added.
Historical context
The 1993 Mumbai serial blasts were one of India’s deadliest terror attacks, executed by members of the Dawood Ibrahim-Tiger Memon syndicate as retribution for the demolition of the Babri Masjid and subsequent communal riots. The coordinated bombings targeted major landmarks including the Bombay Stock Exchange, Air India Building, and Zaveri Bazar.
The auction of Memon family assets marks another step in the government’s long-running effort to dismantle the financial networks of those convicted or absconding in the case.