Civic official booked for graft

The Thane police has booked a senior woman official of the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation in the district for allegedly demanding bribe from a complainant, an official said today.

The complainant wanted removal of an encroachment on the road leading to his house in the Ulhasnagar township here and submitted an application for it to the civic body.

The accused allegedly demanded Rs 50,000 from the complainant for removal of the encroachment, a spokesperson of the Thane Police said.

The complainant then approached a local court which directed the police to register an offence and carry out an investigation into the matter.

Following the court's directive, the Central Police Station under the Ulhasnagar zone yesterday registered an FIR against the civic official under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, the police said, adding that an investigation was on into the matter.