The Goa Police have once again come under scrutiny after Siddiqui, alias Suleman Khan, an accused in a high-profile land grab case, managed to hand over a letter to the media while being produced before the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) court in Panaji.
The incident has raised serious concerns about the security lapses in handling high-risk criminals, as Siddiqui’s letter contained explosive allegations against top government and police officials.
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As soon as news broke that Siddiqui’s letter accused several senior officials of misconduct, police rushed to cover his face and escort him out under heavy security.
The situation escalated to the point that North Goa Superintendent of Police (SP) Akshat Kaushal had to personally intervene and provide additional security to the accused.
SP Kaushal later explained the heightened security
Siddiqui is accused of serious crimes and has previously escaped from custody. As per Supreme Court guidelines, it is our responsibility to ensure that such a criminal is safeguarded while being produced in court.
Akshat Kaushal – IPS
Repeated Breaches Raise Questions
This is not the first time Siddiqui has exposed weaknesses in the system. On a previous occasion, while in judicial custody, he managed to speak directly to a news channel from his mobile phone, alleging police brutality.
The Goa Police and prison administration faced backlash for failing to prevent the security breach. Despite these past failures, Wednesday’s events demonstrated that serious lapses continue to plague law enforcement in the state.
During his court appearance in Altinho, Siddiqui openly handed over documents to the media, claiming they were addressed to the judge. Senior police officials were left scrambling after the letter’s contents—containing serious accusations against Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Deputy Speaker Joshua D’Souza, and senior police officers—began circulating in the public domain.
The letter also reiterated his demand for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to take over his case, alleging bias and misconduct by Goa authorities.
