Man, who helped builder usurp ₹50-cr Khandala land, arrested

The Economic Offences Wing of the Mumbai police arrested a man who helped builder Yusuf Lakdawala usurp a land worth ₹50 crore in Khandala.

The Economic Offences Wing of the Mumbai police arrested a man who helped builder Yusuf Lakdawala usurp a land worth ₹50 crore in Khandala.

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The land belongs to the family of the erstwhile Hyderabad Nawab, Himayat Nawaz Jung Bahadur.

Last year, Lakdawala and his associate, Mohan R Nair, were booked after sub-registrar of Maval taluka filed a complaint of cheating, forgery, conspiracy under Sections 465, 466, 467, 468, 471, 420, 120-B and 201 of Indian Penal Code and Section 82 of Indian Registration Act.

Jitendra Badgujar, in his complaint, had said Lakdawala, Nair and officials of Maval conspired to usurp 4.38 acres of land in Khandala, which belongs to Nawab’s family.

Lakdawala was arrested in the case in April 2019; Nair, who had been absconding, was arrested on Wednesday, said an EOW officer.

Lakdawala allegedly forged agreement papers, dating back to 1949, signed between his late father, Mohammad Ahmed Lakdawala and the late Nawab.

Nair played a key role in assisting Lakdawala in the crime, said the officer.

The police have said Lakdawala allegedly obtained an affidavit and a deed of confirmation on the basis of fake documents. The builder used the registration number of the original document, recorded with the Mumbai registrar’s office. The builder also tried to destroy the original records of the land at the Lonavala revenue office, the official said.

The EOW, which booked Lakdawala in April last year, in its probe, found that many dockets pertaining to the land are missing. Original copies of some land dealings linked to the disputed land are also missing.

“The 21 legal heirs of the Nawab had given the power of attorney of the land to Nair in 2014. The police suspect that the documents pertaining to the power of attorney were forged to usurp the land and Nair has played an important role in this,” said an EOW officer.

EOW investigators suspect that Nair was paid ₹4 crore by Lakdawala for helping him usurp the land. Lakdawala spent around ₹11.5 crore to bribe government officials and pay estate agents and Nair for the land.

Lakdawala, a real estate agent, and an officer from the land record department of Lonavala, were arrested. All the accused, including Nair, face charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery and evidence destruction.