India, Oct. 18 -- The Bombay High Court on Friday granted bail to suspended Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) Deputy Commissioner Shankar Patole and his associates Omkar Ram Gaikar and Sushant Sanjay Surve in a Rs.70-lakh bribery case investigated by the Maharashtra Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).

The case, registered at Naupada Police Station in Thane, pertains to offences under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act. According to the complaint, a builder developing a property with unauthorised structures had approached Patole, who allegedly demanded Rs.20 lakh to initiate action against the violations. Though half the amount was transferred to Surve, Patole reportedly took no action beyond issuing two notices.

Later, ...