Mumbai: The VP Marg police in Mumbai have filed a case against Abdul Kader, connected to the late drug trafficker Iqbal Mirchi, for allegedly encroaching upon the New Roshan Talkies in Khetwadi. According to reports, Kader demolished the cinema hall last year, fully aware that the property had been attached by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) as part of its money-laundering investigation into Mirchi’s assets since October 2020.
When the ED attempted to take possession of the site in December 2024, they found the nearly century-old cinema had been completely destroyed. The agency subsequently performed an inquiry which formed the basis of the FIR lodged on Tuesday, following a complaint from ED deputy director Amitabh Mishra. The FIR charges Kader with criminal trespassing, cheating, mischief causing damage to property, and disobedience to a public servant's order.
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In October 2020, the ED had attached several properties worth ₹22.42 crore, including New Roshan Talkies, as part of its broader investigation into Mirchi’s assets. Following Mirchi's death in 2013, his properties allegedly transferred to his heirs have been a focus of scrutiny. The New Roshan Talkies, built in 1930, was formerly managed by Mirchi’s relative, Mukhtar Patka.
The ED's provisional attachment was confirmed by the PMLA Adjudicating Authority, but subsequent attempts to physically secure the property faced legal hurdles. Despite these complications, the ED discovered that illegal encroachment attempts were underway, prompting action to vacate the stay on possession, which led to their recovery of the property on December 4, 2024, only to find it demolished.
Interviews with Patka revealed he managed the cinema until operations ceased due to the pandemic in 2020. Even after the property’s attachment, his employee Iqbal Qureshi continued using it for business purposes. In September 2024, Kader contacted Patka, stating his intention to demolish the structure. After informing Kader of the seizure, Patka was told that all necessary formalities for demolition had been completed.
Kader claimed to have known Mirchi since 1965 and asserted that they co-managed the property before allegedly unilaterally transferring it to himself in 2023. In October 2024, he executed the demolition and sought to sell the plot for ₹15 crore, receiving an amount of ₹99 lakh as a token. He also sold scrap materials from the cinema for ₹5 lakh but failed to provide official documentation supporting these transactions.
The ED concluded that Kader was not the true owner and had colluded with unknown individuals to encroach on and demolish the government-seized property. Initiated under various legal violations, the investigation into Mirchi revealed extensive activities linked to drug trafficking and unlawful asset acquisition.
