Tiger Memon, the notorious mastermind behind the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts, is back in the headlines after a major court ruling regarding his family&rsquo;s properties. The Special TADA Court has ordered the handover of 14 valuable properties connected to Memon and his relatives to the Central Government. These assets, including flats, shops, offices, and vacant plots, are located in prime areas of Mumbai such as Almeida Park (Bandra West), Santacruz, Kurla, and Mahim.
Memon, whose criminal empire spanned smuggling and real estate, was one of the primary conspirators in the deadly March 1993 bombings that killed 257 people and left over 700 injured. Alongside his brother Yakub Memon and notorious underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, Tiger Memon orchestrated the attacks in retaliation for the 1992 Babri Masjid riots.
The court&rsquo;s decision to seize these properties follows years of investigation into the Memon family&rsquo;s illicit wealth, which was funneled into real estate investments across Mumbai. While Tiger fled to Dubai and later Pakistan, his family had invested heavily in prime properties under the guise of legitimate business dealings.
The Special TADA Court&rsquo;s verdict on March 26 ruled that the properties, which were initially taken over by the Bombay High Court receiver in 1994, should be handed over to the central government. The court also confirmed that the process of confiscation had started in 1992, based on orders from the Maharashtra government, under the Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators Act (SAFEMA).
These properties, once part of the Memon family&rsquo;s vast real estate empire, are expected to be either sold or repurposed by the government. The court&rsquo;s ruling comes after years of legal proceedings, with the central government filing its appeal in January 2025 to seize the assets. The government invoked SAFEMA, which allows for the confiscation of assets acquired through illegal means, such as smuggling.
The Memon family has remained silent throughout the proceedings. While Tiger Memon remains a fugitive, his brother Yakub Memon was executed in 2015 for his involvement in the bombings. Other family members, including Abdul Razak Memon and Hanifa Memon, have not responded to the court&rsquo;s notice.
With the properties now in government hands, questions remain about their future use. Some buildings, like a Memon family property in Mahim, are already in poor condition, and a recent illegal demolition of a building in Mahim has prompted the court to take a stricter stance.

Special TADA Court orders seizure of 14 prime Mumbai properties linked to 1993 bomb blast mastermind

Court Orders Seizure of Tiger Memon's Assets—Why Now?

Special TADA Court orders seizure of 14 prime Mumbai properties linked to 1993 bomb blast mastermind

April 1, 2025 | 16:49 IST