Maha: Village sarpanch held for accepting Rs 2 lakh bribe

A village head in Palghar district was arrested for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 2 lakh from a villager for converting a land from commercial to residential by sleuths of Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), police said today.
Shantaram Sithad, sarpanch of Shelavali Ambadi village, was arrested last night, Deputy Superintendent of ACB's Palghar division Ankush Bhangar said.
Sithad had originally demanded Rs 5 lakh from the villager for converting the land owned by his wife from commercial to residential, the official said.
After negotiations, the sarpanch settled for Rs 2 lakh. Following a complaint, a trap was laid and Sithad was nabbed while accepting the bribe at his office yesterday, Bhangar added.

A case under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 was registered and investigations are on, he said.