Mumbai, Apr 13: Yusuf Lakdawala, a city-based builder accused in a land grab case, was arrested while he was trying to flee the country.

The EOW of the Mumbai Police arrested him from Ahmedabad airport on Friday. Lakdawala and Mohan Nair were booked for allegedly trying to usurp a plot measuring 4.38 acre worth Rs 50 crore, belonging to a royal family from Hyderabad, in Khandala. The case was initially registered with the MRA Marg police and later transferred to the EOW for further investigation.

According to TOI report, police sources issued a Red Corner Notice (RCN) on Thursday and a day later he was arrested following a tip-off. “Lakdawala was stopped while trying to board a flight to London from Ahmedabad. He was subsequently arrested and produced before a local court. He is now being brought to Mumbai,” said Deven Bharti, Joint Commissioner of Police (EOW).

Last week, MRA Marg police booked two persons for allegedly seizing four acre worth Rs 50 crore in Khandala, by submitting forged documents to the registrar’s office at Old Customs House in South Mumbai. The fraud came to light when the complainant, Jitendra Badgujar, was approached by the EOW for a fraud case filed in Mumbai.

The EOW suspected the conspiracy was part of a larger case and asked Badgujar to lodge a complaint at the registrar’s office and with the MRA Marg police, as the crime was committed at the latter’s jurisdiction. Both the accused were booked for cheating and forgery under the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Indian Registration Act.