The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has made a significant move against former MLC Mohammad Iqbal in the sugar mill scandal of Uttar Pradesh. The central investigation agency has attached properties worth over a thousand crores belonging to the former MLC. This enforcement was conducted by the ED's team in Lucknow and relates back to the period of Mayawati's chief ministership.
Indeed, during 2010 and 2011 in UP, nearly 11 sugar mills were allegedly sold off for a song. In total, over 21 sugar mills have been reported to have been sold at incredibly low prices, with ongoing investigations concerning the remaining mills.
These deals purportedly caused losses of approximately ₹1,179 crores to the state and central governments, spanning the tenure of then-Chief Minister Mayawati from 2007 to 2012. Now, the properties linked to former BSP MLC Mohammad Iqbal and his family, valued at ₹1,097 crores, have been seized.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has requested a CBI inquiry into this matter through a letter to the central government, prompting a subsequent probe by the CBI. Based on the CBI's FIR, ED registered a case for money laundering.
Namrata Marketing Pvt. Ltd. and Girisho Company Pvt. Ltd., controlled by Iqbal, participated in the bidding process for the privatization of UP government sugar mills during 2010-11 and subsequently acquired 7 mills through various shell companies, revealing dummy directors and fraudulent transactions. These sugar mills are located in Barabanki, Deoria, Kushinagar, and Bareilly.
Girisho Company Pvt. Ltd. and Namrata Marketing Pvt. Ltd. procured seven firms, including Ablaze Sugar Mills Pvt. Ltd., Adarsh Sugar Pvt. Ltd., Agile Sugar India Pvt. Ltd., Econ Sugar Mills Pvt. Ltd., Majesty Sugar Solutions Pvt. Ltd., Mastiff Sugar Solution Pvt. Ltd., and Okra Sugars Pvt. Ltd.
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