Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji
Panaji, Jul 17: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested the alleged mastermind of an organised land-grabbing syndicate accused of illegally acquiring high-value properties in Goa through forged documents, officials said on Friday.
The ED's Panaji Zonal Office arrested Siddique Khan alias Suleman Khan (55), a resident of Karwar in Karnataka, on July 16 under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
Following his arrest, Khan was produced before the Special PMLA Court in North Goa, which remanded him to ED custody for further interrogation. Investigators said the custodial questioning is aimed at tracing the money trail, identifying properties acquired through alleged proceeds of crime, uncovering other beneficiaries and exposing the broader conspiracy.
According to the ED, Khan is the principal architect and beneficiary of a syndicate involved in the illegal acquisition of valuable land parcels in Goa by using forged title deeds and fabricated ownership documents.
The money laundering investigation was initiated on the basis of multiple criminal cases registered by the Goa Police against Khan and his associates for offences including forgery, cheating and fraudulent transfer of immovable properties. The police have already filed charge sheets in the predicate offences.
The ED's investigation has revealed that the syndicate allegedly prepared forged and backdated sale deeds and ownership records, in several cases using the names of deceased individuals or fictitious predecessors to establish false ownership claims over valuable properties.
Officials alleged that these fabricated documents were then used to manipulate official land records, enabling the accused and their associates to fraudulently mutate ownership in their favour.
After securing control over the land, the syndicate allegedly sold, developed or attempted to commercially exploit the properties, thereby generating substantial proceeds of crime that were projected as legitimate assets.
The ED said the land allegedly acquired through fraudulent means spans nearly 25 hectares (around 62.5 acres) across Goa.
Since no genuine payment was made for the properties and ownership was allegedly obtained entirely through forged documentation, the agency has provisionally estimated the value of the proceeds of crime at over Rs 300 crore, subject to final assessment as the investigation progresses.