PANAJI
Nure Faizal Bhatkar, closely linked with one of the main kingpins of land scams Muhammad Suhail, was on Friday arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Crime Branch.
Bhatkar’s involvement surfaced during an investigation into a fraud pertaining to survey number 504/10 in Anjuna where the property has been sold at a whopping amount based on forged documents.
SP SIT Nidhin Valsan confirmed to The Goan that the 41-year-old Betim-resident is linked to prime accused Suhail, who is already facing charges of illegal land transfer/ land grabbing by preparing fake/ forged documents such as Portuguese/Indian on sale deed/ notarial deed etc.
“Accused Bhatkar prepared forged birth and death certificates of the ancestors of the complainants Jennifer Carasco and Sisino Carasco who are the actual owners of the property. These documents were further produced before the relevant government authorities and succeeded in executing the fake succession deed/POA after which the sale deed was executed,” Valsan said.
Bhatkar is a partner in a real estate firm ‘Sky5 real estate and developer’ and operates closely with Suhail.
The kingpin was earlier involved in three similar cases which were registered at the Porvorim police station and Economic Offenses Cell (EOC). The FIR at Porvorim police station was thereafter transferred to EOC Panaji and charge-sheeted on January 31, 2022. The case is pending trial before the Mapusa Judicial Magistrate First Class. The two other cases against him registered on February 11, 2014, and February 26, 2014, are pending trial before the JMFC Panaji and JMFC Mapusa, respectively.
