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

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 85000 from a flower merchant after threatening him in Maharashtras Thane district reported news agency PTIThe incident took place on October 18 at Mharal NakaThe accused violated the model code of conduct in place for the November 20 state assembly polls stated the FIR reported PTIThe flower businessman and his friend were on way to Ahmednagar and Pune in a car and carrying Rs 75 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 PTIThe 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 themThey allegedly extorted Rs 85000 from the flower merchant the official said while sharing an update on the Thane crime reported PTIThe 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 saidAfter 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 3082 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 35 criminal act done by several persons in furtherance of the common intention of all he saidLiquor drugs freebies worth Rs 1326 crore seized in Thane district since mode code kicked inBetween 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 1326 crore officials have said reported PTIA 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 PTIShingare shared a presentation on key numbers associated with the upcoming polls in the Thane district which has 7229339 voters spread across 18 assembly segments Of them 2282882 are women and 1415 are from the third gender categoryThe district has 172981 voters in the age group of 1819 years 38149 persons with disabilities eligible to cast their ballots and 56976 voters above the age of 85 reported PTIA total of 30868 staff will man the election process in the district Shingare said reported PTIElections to the 288member Maharashtra assembly will be held on November 20 and votes will be counted on November 23With inputs from PTI