Thane crime: Case against 5 members of flying squad for extorting Rs 85,000 from bizman

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An official on Sunday said that police have registered a case against five members of a poll flying squad, including two constables, for allegedly extorting Rs 85,000 from a flower merchant after threatening him in Maharashtra's Thane district, reported news agency PTI.

The incident took place on October 18 at Mharal Naka.

The accused violated the model code of conduct, in place for the November 20 state assembly polls, stated the FIR, reported PTI.

The flower businessman and his friend were on way to Ahmednagar and Pune in a car and carrying Rs 7.5 lakh for making payments to farmers for purchases made during the Dussehra festival, the official from Ulhasnagar police station said while sharing an update on the Thane crime, reported PTI.

The accused intercepted the car when it was proceeding towards Murbad and threatened the duo that their money will be seized and a case will be registered against them.

They allegedly extorted Rs 85,000 from the flower merchant, the official said while sharing an update on the Thane crime, reported PTI.

The accused did not inform their seniors about the money found with the flower businessman, and also did not follow the set procedure for the raid and seizure, he said.

After the probe and a complaint by a poll official, the Ulhasnagar police on Saturday registered a case against the five accused under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 308(2) (extortion), 198 (public servant disobeying law, with intent to cause injury to any person), 134 (assault or criminal force in attempt to commit theft of property carried by a person) and 3(5) (criminal act done by several persons in furtherance of the common intention of all), he said.

Liquor, drugs, freebies worth Rs 13.26 crore seized in Thane district since mode code kicked in

Between October 15, when the model code of conduct for Maharashtra elections came into force, and November 5, authorities in Thane district have seized liquor, drugs and freebies worth Rs 13.26 crore, officials have said, reported PTI.

A total of 209 FIRs have been registered in connection with the seizures, Thane Collector Ashok Shingare said during a review meeting with Special Observer (Expenses) B R Balakrishnan on Wednesday, according to an official statement, reported PTI.

Shingare shared a presentation on key numbers associated with the upcoming polls in the Thane district, which has 72,29,339 voters spread across 18 assembly segments. Of them, 22,82,882 are women and 1,415 are from the third gender category.

The district has 1,72,981 voters in the age group of 18-19 years, 38,149 persons with disabilities eligible to cast their ballots and 56,976 voters above the age of 85, reported PTI.

A total of 30,868 staff will man the election process in the district, Shingare said, reported PTI.

Elections to the 288-member Maharashtra assembly will be held on November 20 and votes will be counted on November 23.

(With inputs from PTI)