The Merces Additional Sessions Court has granted bail to Siddique, alias Suleman Khan, the prime accused in a high-profile land-grabbing and forgery scandal involving properties in Thivim. The court ordered Khan’s release on a bail bond of ₹50,000 with one surety, citing the prosecution's failure to produce scientific evidence despite years of investigation. This is another land-grabbing case in which Siddique has been granted bail. Earlier in May this year, he was also granted bail in a case where he allegedly grabbed land measuring 216,000 square metres by preparing fake sale deeds, forging signatures, and making false representations before the Sub-Registrar of Valpoi. The present case against Suleman Khan stems from a complaint filed by the Civil-cum–Sub-Registrar of Bardez. Mapusa Police subsequently charge-sheeted Khan for cheating and forgery of valuable security. According to the prosecution, Khan connived with unknown government officials to forge sale deeds for properties bearing survey nos. 455/7, 466/5, and 466/6 in Thivim village. He allegedly prepared and used counterfeit government stamps and impersonated the legal heirs of the original property owners to transfer rights into his own name and sell the properties for profit. Siddique had been in custody since his arrest on December 6, 2024. The prosecution strongly opposed the bail application, relying heavily on Khan’s extensive criminal history. It pointed out that Khan is implicated in more than five offenses spanning Delhi, Hyderabad, and various stations across Goa (Mapusa, Valpoi, and Anjuna). Furthermore, the state argued that Khan has a track record of misusing conditional bail, noting an earlier attempt to abscond and an active charge for escaping from a Crime Branch lock-up. The prosecution contended that because Khan had previously been declared a "proclaimed offender" and possessed significant influence, his release would pose a serious risk of witness intimidation and trial delays. Representing the accused, Senior Advocate Nitin Sardesai and Advocate Sahil Sardessai presented a different picture, arguing that Khan—a real estate businessman with 30 years' experience in Goa—was being used as a "scapegoat" due to political rivalries with local MLAs and ministers in various states. Khan maintained the disputed transactions dated back 25 years and that he was a bona fide purchaser. The cornerstone of the defense's argument, however, was the delay in the trial process and the absence of physical or scientific evidence linking Khan to the counterfeit seals. The defense emphasized that the chargesheet was silent on any recoveries of fake seals from Khan's possession. While granting bail to Siddique, the court noted that although Khan’s criminal history was extensive, the right to a speedy trial could not be overlooked. The court observed that nearly four years had elapsed since the FIR was registered, yet the prosecution had consistently failed to produce a Central Forensic Science Laboratory handwriting-analysis report to establish a prima facie case of forgery against Khan. Citing Supreme Court precedents that inordinate delays impinge upon an accused person's fundamental rights, the court observed: "The accused cannot be kept in custody endlessly awaiting the CFSL report on the alleged forged documents." The court imposed stringent conditions on Khan's release to eliminate risks of flight and tampering. It directed that Khan and his surety submit verified identity and residential proofs to both the court and the investigating officer. Another condition requires Suleman Khan to provide a WhatsApp-enabled mobile number where he can be reached at any time; the IO will verify this independently with the service provider. Suleman Khan is strictly prohibited from leaving Goa or India without explicit prior permission from the court, and he is barred from interacting with any witnesses, tampering with evidence, or committing similar offences while on bail. The court cautioned that any single violation of these terms would lead to the immediate cancellation of his bail.