Estate agent who helped builder in land grab held

MUMBAI: A city-based estate agent who allegedly helped builder Yusuf Lakdawala procure forged documents in an attempt to usurp 4.4 acres, worth Rs 50 crore, in Khandala has been arrested.

The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) on Friday arrested Shaukat Masoor Ghouri (50), who operates in the Santacruz-Khar belt and is believed to have shown the plot to Lakdawala. Police are looking for another key accused, Mohan Nair, and some government officials who had allegedly helped Lakdawala. EOW officials arrested Lakdawala (74) on Friday from Ahmedabad airport while he was allegedly trying to escape to London.

The police team probing the case said that Lakdawala and others also tried to destroy the evidence on record. And for doing this, they were allegedly helped by some government officials.

"Some important pages of many dockets pertaining to the said land are missing, torn off and taken away from the revenue records. Original copies of some dealings linked to the disputed land are missing and untraceable. There is also some overwriting at various places in the property documents dating back to 1949," said an officer.

The said property belongs to the family of a Nawab and to usurp it, Lakdawala allegedly forged agreement papers, dating back to 1949, between his late father, Mohammad Ahmed Lakdawala and the late Nawab, said the officer.

Lakdawala made headlines in 2010 after yesteryear actress Sadhana lodged a complaint against him for threatening her over a property in Santacruz. He was acquitted in the case.