PANAJI
Goa Police’s manhunt for ‘hardened criminal’ Suleman Siddiqui Khan, notorious for changing identities to evade arrest, ended with his arrest on Monday. Suleman and his wife Afsana alias Sarika were initially detained at their residence by the Ernakulum police in Kerala on Saturday evening, followed by his arrest two days later.
The Ernakulam police detained the duo after a tip-off from Goa Police, which had deployed 14 teams comprising 70 personnel and officers for the operation. The police teams also seized incriminating evidence from Suleman’s residences in Karwar and Kerala, revealing that he had made huge investments using money illegally acquired through frauds.
Addressing the media at police headquarters on Monday, Director General of Police Alok Kumar said Suleman would be interrogated about his escape, videos he released as well as connections with accomplices across different places based on which he changed places.
“After nine days of coordinated efforts and continuous investigation, the North Goa Police and the Crime Branch in coordination with Kerala police, Suleman was detained in Kerala. After judicial formalities, he was brought back to Goa,” he said.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Crime Branch Rahul Gupta disclosed that Suleman’s escape was facilitated by ex-IRB constable Amit Naik, who was allegedly promised money in return.
“Suleman convinced Naik to help him flee to Bengaluru. He promised payment once they reached Bengaluru. Accordingly, on December 13, he escaped after Naik unlocked the lock-up gate,” Gupta said.
The Ernakulum police detained Suleman after Goa police alerted them about his exact location. “When our counterparts reached his residence to question his wife, Afsana, Suleman was also found. Both were detained after which, our team proceeded to formally take the duo’s custody,” the SP added.
Afsana is reportedly wanted in a Mapusa case registered two years ago with the police investigation also discovering that Suleman invested his earnings in four flats, all registered in Afsana’s name and a construction company in Karwar. “This clearly establishes her complicity in his crimes,” Gupta stated.
During a search of Suleman’s properties, the police seized 16 passbooks, 30 cheque books, several Aadhaar and ration cards, 12 mobile phones, sale deeds and stamp pads from his Karwar home while from Kerala residence, police recovered additional mobile phones, a car and other evidence.
“We will build a watertight case to ensure Suleman does not get bail. We are also probing his network and connections in various cities he visited,” Gupta said.
Police revealed that after fleeing from the lockup on December 13, Suleman travelled to Hubli, Karwar, Mangaluru, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Kochi before his arrest. “He escaped to eight places in nine days. Our investigation will continue to identify his associates and expose his criminal network,” the officer added.
Gupta further revealed that Naik, who had surrendered the next day, confessed to facilitating Suleman’s escape. “Naik admitted to taking Suleman to Hubli on his bike, where they met an accomplice Hazrat Ali. Suleman then travelled with Ali by car, stayed for a couple of hours in Hubli and plotted his next move. Eventually, Suleman abandoned Ali and escaped to further locations,” Gupta added.
Ali was arrested a day after Naik’s arrest but was bailed out on Monday. The police conceded that Suleman, being a shrewd criminal and having a criminal record dating since 2005, used various tricks to mislead the police. “However, in the last 4-5 days, we intensified our efforts and focused on tracking him and his family. This led us to his residence in Kerala,” Gupta revealed.
