PANAJI
The land grab accused Suleman Siddique Khan has claimed that he ‘helped’ a police inspector construct a bungalow in the outskirts of Panaji.
Khan stated that the officer had paid him some money for the work in cash with Rs 46 lakh still outstanding, which the latter assured to pay later.
Khan made these allegations in a handwritten letter, which he hastily handed over to the media while being produced in court for remand.
The accused, who also calls himself a builder, further alleged that the same PI, whom he described as a friend, was investigating two cases of cheating against him. The letter stated that the PI told Khan he was under pressure from others to probe the FIRs against him.
Meanwhile, shortly after he passed the letter to reporters, police personnel escorting him took it away.
Police security around Khan’s movements between jail and the court has been tightened, given his history of escape attempts. “He has serious offenses against him and had even escaped from custody in the past,” Superintendent of Police (North Goa) Akshat Kaushal told reporters, citing Supreme Court guidelines that mandate maximum security whenever an accused is brought before a court to prevent harm to anyone.
When asked about the confiscated letter, the SP stated that as per legal procedure, the accused should have submitted it to the court rather than sharing it with the media.
