Thane, February 17 A case has been registered against a Shiv Sena corporator on Tuesday for allegedly manhandling forest department personnel and absconding with a JCB during an anti-encroachment drive in Navi Mumbai, police said.
The incident occurred on Monday afternoon in Ilthanpada, an area officially designated as reserved forest land, where a team of forest personnel were taking action against unauthorized excavation and road construction within the forest boundary, an official said.
He said that the forest team seized two JCB machines and took the site supervisor into custody. However, while the team was transporting the seized machinery to their office, Shiv Sena corporator Mamit Chougule stopped them, manhandled a forest worker, and drove away with a JCB.
Based on a complaint, a first information report has been registered against Chougule, his driver, and the supervisor under section 221 (obstructing a public servant) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and relevant provisions of the Indian Forest Act, 1927, the official said, adding that no arrests have been made.