Pramod Shinde, a head constable attached with the Crime Branch of district police, was acquainted with Sultana Sheikh (32) for the last two years, Thane Police PRO Gajanan Kabdule said.
On September 13, Sheikh's body was recovered from Manpada creek here, following which a case of accidental death was registered and the body was buried, he said.
However, the victim's mother filed a missing complaint with the MFC police station, which prompted the police to re-investigate the incident.
The police exhumed the body and conducted a post-mortem, which revealed that the woman was strangulated to death. The body was thrown into the creek to give an impression that the death was caused by drowning, he said.
After probing thoroughly, the police yesterday arrested the accused, and said that he committed the crime as he was spurned by the victim, who was a widow and had a child.
A case has been registered under relevant sections of the IPC at the MFC police station, he said, adding further investigation is on.