Mumbai: Saifee Burhani Trust bids for don Dawood Ibrahim's properties in auction

After losing 2015 bid, SBUT enters auction fray for underworld don's key properties onPakmodia Street in Bhendi Bazaar. Two weeks after mid-day first reported that Saifee Burhani Upliftment Trust (SBUT) was eyeing underworld don Dawood Ibrahim's Bhendi Bazaar property, Hotel Raunaq Afroz, which was up for re-auction this morning, sources confirmed that the trust is one of the three bidders.

The hotel onPakmodia Street, along with two other of Ibrahim's properties, went under the hammer at the Indian Merchants' Chamber in Churchgate around 10 am.

A spokesperson confirmed that SBUT was bidding for all the three properties, but did not reveal any more details. The government had attached Hotel Raunaq Afroz after the 1993 serial blasts.

Also Read: Dawood Ibrahim's Mumbai Properties Auctioned

Cops stand guard outside Indian Merchants' Chamber, where Dawood Ibrahim's properties went under the hammer this morning. Pic/ Suresh Karkera

Sources said that SBUT, which is overseeing the ambitious Bhendi Bazaar makeover project, was keen on including Ibrahim's property into its development plan.

This is the second time that SBUT has shown interest in Ibrahim's property. During the first auction, in 2015, SBUT had lost out to former journalistS Balakrishnan. However, the property went in for re-auction, as Balakrishnan, could not cough up Rs 4.28 crore he'd won the property for. He also lost Rs 30 lakh he had given as deposit for the auction.

Dawood Ibrahim's properties on Pakmodia Street, Bhendi Bazaar, which are being auctioned

Sources said that the properties are liksely to be auctioned through three methods -- the sealed tender, public auction and e-auction.