Fugitive Iqbal Bala appears before investigation officer via video call

Meerut: Absconding for the last two years, the alleged mining mafia and former MLC Iqbal Bala appeared before an investigation officer in an old case, via video conferencing.
There is a reward of Rs 1 lakh on him while his brother, former MLC Mehmood Ali, and four sons are in jail.
As of now, close to 40 cases are registered against Iqbal and police have already seized his assets worth thousands of crores of rupees.SP (city) Abhimanyu Manglik said, “There was a case registered against him in Mirzapur police station of Saharanpur and the accused’s statement was made via video conferencing on the Supreme Court’s directions.” The case, in which the statement was made, filed in 2022.
Sanjay Singh, Iqbal Bala’s lawyer said, “It was an attempt to murder (IPC sec 307) registered by Amit Jain in 2022 in Mirzapur police station. The SC had given directions that the witness could testify before the court through video conferencing.”
Iqbal is facing a money laundering probe to the tune of Rs. 10,000 crores and is under the scanner of central investigative agencies including the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO), Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Income Tax. “I have been out on a research project on behalf of our university since April 7, 2022. I have no connection to the criminal cases filed against me,” he can be heard saying in the video. The ED recently attached his properties including the university worth Rs 4,400 crores. Interestingly, Bala had left the country for the Middle East two years ago. Later, his passport was also impounded but cops have not been able to apprehend him so far.
SP Abhimanyu Manglik added, “Once we get to know where the accused is located in foreign soil, we will work on his extradition.”