Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
Police arrested for allegedly cheating businessmen and a retired police officer of Rs 4.13 crore by offering prime plots in Abdimandi, Chaus Colony and Himayat Bagh using forged documents. Irfan had fled to Mumbai in February and was caught in a trap, said SPI Sambhaji Pawar.
The arrested accused has been identified as Shaikh Irfan (38, Delhi Gate) and aide Shaikh Jameel (34, Roza Bagh). An FIR names Irfan, his brother Salman, parents Gausiya Begum Shaikh and Shaikh Shafeeq alias Shaikh Saheb (all Delhi Gate), Shaikh Jameel, and Shaikh Imran (Kaiser Colony). Police said Irfan duped Sillod businessman Shaikh Imran Shaikh Ahmed Sharif of Rs 1.90 crore by offering 19 gunthas in Himayatnagar and 16 acres 29 gunthas in Jogwada (case registered at City Chowk police station on Feb 4).
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Three victims, similar modus operandi
The gang similarly cheated Asad Khan (Sabjimandi) of Rs 90 lakh with three 31R plots in Abdimandi (Gut No. 40) and 88R land in Chaus Colony, and a retired police officer of Rs 1.33 crore posing others’ land as their own and executing forged registrations.
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Questions over revenue verification
At least five such frauds surfaced in two months, raising questions over revenue verification during registration; officials and contractual staff may be probed if complicity emerges. Educated up to Class 12 and active in land trading for years, Irfan’s bank accounts were found empty despite the alleged siphoning. Probe is led by senior police inspector Sambhaji Pawar and police sub inspector Sachin Deshmukh, with officers Syed Shakeel, and others.