Mumbai, Feb 26 (IANS): In a major boost to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) probing the money laundering case against slain underworld gangster Iqbal Mirchi and his family members, a Special Court here on Friday declared his wife and two sons as "fugitive economic offenders" and also ordered the seizure of their properties in India and abroad.

A Special PMLA court here said that Mirchi's wife Hajra Memon, and his sons Asif Iqbal Memon and Junaid Iqbal Memon are hereby declared as Fugitive Economic Offenders as per Section 12 of the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018.

The court said that "their properties in India and abroad are directed to be seized by following due process of law".

A Special PMLA Court on December 16 last year had issued notices to two sons and the wife of Mirchi to appear before it on February 21 this year under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act (FEOA), 2018 and warned that they would be declared fugitive economic offenders if they failed to comply.

The official had said that the court issued summons to the wife and two sons of Mirchi on its plea filed with the court on December 4 last year.

He had said that in its application to the court the financial probe agency has made a prayer to order confiscation of their assets as envisaged under FEOA.

He said that in the first phase, a prayer has been made for confiscation of 15 Indian properties including the third and fourth floor of Ceejay House having a market value of Rs 96 crore and six bank accounts having a balance of Rs 1.9 crore.

The ED till date has attached properties to the tune of Rs 798 crore in India and abroad under the PMLA provisions.

On the basis of the charge sheet filed by the ED before the Special PMLA Court, open ended non bailable warrants have been issued against them.