Sarpanch booked for demanding bribe from house owner in Thane

Police have registered a case against a woman sarpanch for allegedly demanding a bribe of Rs 10,000 from a house owner in Maharashtra’s Thane district, officials said on Thursday.

The person had purchased a house and wanted it to be registered with the Vangni gram panchayat for the levy of property tax, the Anti-Corruption Bureau said in a release.

The sarpanch initially demanded Rs 20,000 for the same, but later reduced the amount to Rs 10,000, it said.

The house owner approached the ACB, which filed a complaint with police.

Based on the complaint, the Kulgaon police on Wednesday registered an FIR against the sarpanch under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, the ACB said.