Thane deputy civic commissioner among 2 remanded to police custody in bribery case

Thane, Oct 2 (PTI) A deputy commissioner of the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) and a private individual, arrested in a Rs 25 lakh bribery case, were on Thursday produced before a local court which remanded them to police custody till October 4.

Deputy Municipal Commissioner Shankar Patole, who was heading the TMC's anti-encroachment department, and a private person, Omkar Gaikar, were arrested during a raid carried out by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) at the civic headquarters on Wednesday.

They were produced before Additional Sessions Judge VG Mohite, who after hearing submissions by ACB officials, remanded the duo to police custody till October 4.

While advocate Vishal Bhanushali appeared for Patole, Gaikar was represented by advocate Jayesh Tikhe.

A third person named in the bribery FIR, Sushant Surve, is currently at large. The FIR naming Patole, Gaikar and Surve, also a private person, was registered under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, according to the ACB.

The ACB sought the custody of the duo on various grounds, including for carrying out further probe into the crime and locate the third accused.

A real estate developer complained to the Mumbai ACB that a Thane civic official (Patole) had allegedly demanded Rs 35 lakh as bribe for removing an encroachment on his premises in the city.

The complainant claimed he had already paid a sum of Rs 10 lakh to the official through Surve.

The builder was handing over the remaining Rs 25 lakh to Gaikar in the cabin of Patole at the TMC headquarters when the ACB trapped the duo and arrested them.

The arrests were made on the 43rd anniversary of the civic corporation. PTI COR RSY