Thivim resident arrested in Mapusa land grab case by SIT

Panaji: A 54-year-old Thivim resident Siddiqui, also known as Sileman Khan, was arrested on Thursday by the special investigation team (SIT) probing land grab, in connection with an alleged land grab case at Mapusa.

“We apprehended the offender Khan in Huballi, Karnataka, and arrested him. Siddiqui was non-traceable since Aug 20, 2020, after committing several crimes in Goa,” SP (crime branch) Rahul Gupta said. He added that Khan was a habitual offender and was involved in several alleged property frauds.

Mapusa police had registered a case in 2020 based on the complaint lodged by Arjun Shetye, civil registrar cum sub-registrar of Bardez. The complaint stated that prior to April 2020, an unknown accused person dishonestly prepared forged documents by impersonating the lawful owners of landed property surveyed under Chalta No. 2 of PT sheet No. 67 of Mapusa town within the limits of Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) using a counterfeit rubber stamp of his office. Shetye said that the accused person produced forged documents as genuine before the authorities and succeeded in transferring the ownership rights, thereby depriving the owners of the landed property of enjoying their legal rights and cheating them.

“In the present case, the accused grabbed property surveyed under PT Sheet No. 67, Chalta No. 2, at Ekta Nagar, and put up barbed wire fencing and illegally built two concrete structures and a metal shed on the aforesaid property without permission from the competent authority,” Gupta said. The illegality was brought to the notice of the MMC’s chief officer. After inspection, the deputy collector issued an order to demolish the property, Gupta said.

“During interrogation it was revealed that the accused was wanted in multiple cases of land fraud and forgery. After committing the crimes he frequently travelled to other states and used different contact numbers, meticulously moving with different disguises while visiting public places, including dressing as a woman,” Gupta said.

Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss daily games like Crossword, Sudoku, and Mini Crossword.