Five booked for forging documents to transfer govt land in Thane

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A case has been registered against five people, including a former government employee, for allegedly transferring state-owned land using forged documents in Maharashtra's Thane district, police said on Friday, reported news agency PTI.

According to the police, the accused misled the registrar's office and used outdated land records to transfer plots under the Birwadi Gram Panchayat in Shahpur taluka, reported PTI.

The case was registered following a complaint by the deputy collector and administrator (new towns) of the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC).

"The complainant alleged that the accused conspired to embezzle government property by attaching old 7/12 extracts from 2010, despite having no legal ownership of the land. They selected incorrect legal articles to facilitate the illegal transfer of government-owned land into private hands," an official said, reported PTI.

The police have named Ajay Vedprakash Chhabra, Rajni Ajay Chhabra, Mangesh Mahadev Kolekar, Reena Ratnesh Jain, a partner in a construction firm and B S Gaikwad, the then in-charge joint deputy registrar of Bhiwandi, in the FIR registered under sections 318 (cheating), 336 (forgery) and other relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, reported PTI.

"The fraud took place on August 1, 2025, at the Joint Deputy Registrar-2 office in Bhiwandi. By misleading the state machinery, the accused managed to transfer the land and embezzle government funds," he said.

A probe is underway, and no arrest has been made so far, he added.

RTO agent held for taking bribe to issue learner's licence

In another case, an RTO agent was arrested in Thane for allegedly seeking and accepting a bribe from a man who wanted a two-wheeler learner's licence, a Maharashtra Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) official said on Friday, reported PTI.

He identified the accused as Bhiwandi resident Krishnakumar Mishra (44), reported PTI.

"Mishra sought Rs 5,000 from a man who wanted a learner's licence for a two-wheeler. The man approached the ACB after he found out the stipulated fee for this process is just Rs 200. Mishra was caught on Thursday in a trap while accepting Rs 4.300. He had collected Rs 700 earlier," the official said, reported PTI.

A case was registered under Prevention of Corruption Act at Wagle Estate police station and further probe is underway, the official added.

(With inputs from PTI)