Man booked for extortion in Palghar

The district rural police has booked a man, claiming to be the editor of a local publication, for allegedly trying to extort Rs 20 lakh from a builder in Vasai area.

The Tulinj police registered offences against the man under Indian Penal Code sections for extortion, the police said in a release.

The builder alleged that the man had threatened to complain against him to the local civic body, which had taken up a drive to demolish illegal constructions, if he did not give him Rs 20 lakh, the police said.

A probe was on into the case, the release added.