Thane police arrest ex-corporator of Vasai-Virar civic body, three others for extortion bid

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Thane, Feb 2 (PTI) Police in Maharashtra’s Thane district have arrested an ex-corporator of the Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation and three others over an alleged attempt to extort Rs 1.5 crore from a developer, an official said on Sunday.

According to the official, the former corporator had filed complaints against a builder redeveloping a slum in Mumbai’s Worli area. He allegedly demanded Rs 10 crore to withdraw the complaints and brought it down to Rs 1.5 crore after negotiations.

After being alerted by the builder, police laid a trap near a hotel in Bhayander in Thane district, on the outskirts of Mumbai, and arrested the politician’s aide when he collected the first instalment of Rs 25 lakh on Saturday night, the official said Police later arrested the ex-corporator and two more persons from Vasai in neighbouring Palghar district, said assistant inspector Amol Talekar of Navghar police station.

A probe is underway to determine if more individuals were involved in the extortion attempt, he added. PTI COR NR