New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is conducting raids at locations of DHFL and its promoters in connection with loan sanctioned to Sunblink Real Estate, which has alleged links with underworld don Dawood Ibrahim's close aide Iqbal Mirchi. The DHFL had given loans of Rs 2,186 crore to the real estate firm.

The raids are being conducted at 14 locations across the country, according to sources. The ED had earlier identified the benami assets of Iqbal Mirchi, an international drug dealer who was declared as one of the 10 foreign drug kingpins by the US.

The ED had arrested Mirchi's associates, Haroun Yousuf and Ranjit Singh Bindra under PMLA and got their remand for 5 days on October 12.

Investigation revealed that Iqbal Mirchi had amassed various properties in India, UAE, and the UK from the proceeds of crime.

Earlier yesterday, senior NCP leader Praful Patel had arrived before the ED in connection with a money-laundering probe linked to the alleged illegal assets of the late drug kingpin Mirchi, according to the probe agency's officials.

In 1999, all investigations on Iqbal Mirchi were cancelled as there was lack of evidence. The Indian government also lost its extradition proceedings against Mirchi.

Mirchi had died in 2013 in London. He was alleged to be the right hand man of Dawood Ibrahim in drug trafficking and extortion crimes. In 2016, Mirchi was named in the Panama papers for holding black money in foreign bank accounts.

(With inputs from ANI, PTI)